Sweet Music Man
by BlaineyDevon
Summary: A series of unfortunate and life changing circumstances cause Burt and Blaine to form an unlikely friendship based on their unconditional love for Kurt. Meanwhile Kurt and Blaine find strength in each other to find their happily ever after together.
1. Chapter 1

Hello lovelies! Sleepy me has struck again and brought you this story! It's centered on Burt/Blaine friendship and Kurt/Blaine relationship.

Title: Sweet Music Man  
>Rating: T<br>Warnings: None  
>Spoilers: Everything up to 2x18<br>Pairings: Klaine, but mostly Blaine/Burt centric  
>Summary: A series of unexpected circumstances cause Burt and Blaine to form an unlikely friendship based on the one thing they have in common: unconditional love for Kurt.<p>

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><p><em>April 29, 2011<em>

_9:35 PM_

There are two types of phone calls a parent never wants to receive. The first being of the "anonymous" kind, and the second informing them that something has happened to their child.

Burt Hummel was accustomed to answering the phone and listening as someone gave him the "anonymous" kind of call. Sure, it made his heart ache a little every time someone spat some derogatory term about Kurt through the phone and then hung up, but Burt was getting used to them. Kurt had been right. With time, he became hardened to the harsh words.

What Burt didn't ever expect to get was the second kind of phone call late one Friday night. Carole was in the kitchen, cleaning up the dinner dishes and humming softly. Finn was out with Quinn and Kurt was out with Blaine. Burt was a little weary about letting Kurt spend the night at Blaine's house, but the two seemed to get along well and they were both teenage boys. Teenage boys needed someplace to be inappropriate and as long as it wasn't in Burt's house and they were safe, more power to them.

The house was empty save for him and his wife, and he sipped his beer. There were no sports on tonight, so he was just waiting for Carole to finish up in the kitchen before he invited her to join him on the couch. He sipped his beer again right as the phone rang and Carole asked him to answer it.

Annoyed at who could be calling, Burt pulled himself up off the couch and went to the phone on the table beside the entrance into the kitchen. He plucked the phone up and pressed it to his ear.

"This is Burt," he said gruffly.

"Burt Hummel? My name is Officer James Levon from the Westerville Police Department. Your son's been in an accident," a man with a solemn voice said.

Burt's brow furrowed and he set his beer on the table. At first he thought _Finn_, but then he realized it was the Westerville Police Department. Westerville. Where Kurt was going tonight.

"What happened?" Burt asked. "Is he all right? Is he hurt?"

The sink turned off in the kitchen and Carole appeared, looking worried as she wiped her hands on a towel. Burt looked at her and he could tell she was thinking Finn as well. Finn was always the one getting into trouble. Kurt was so good. He never got into trouble. That's why Burt trusted him to drive all the way to Westerville and to spend the night with Blaine.

"He was rushed into surgery at the Westerville Hospital half an hour ago. If you would like, we can send a car to pick you up," the officer said. Burt shook his head, but realized the man couldn't see him.

"N-No, I'll just come," Burt said.

He hung up and looked over at Carole, whose eyes welled up with tears as she held one hand in front of her mouth. She knew something was wrong.

"Kurt's been in an accident," Burt said. "He's in the hospital."

"Oh Burt," Carole let out a quiet sob and stepped forward, pulling him into her arms. Burt's eyes brimmed with tears, but he refused to cry until he saw his son.

"He's in Westerville. We have to go," Burt said. Carole nodded and rushed to get car keys. She trembled with fear, unable to hold back as well as Burt could.

"I'll drive," Carole said.

"No," Burt said. "I-I'll drive. He's my son. And he's hurt. I'll drive."

Carole didn't argue, seeing as he was more sound of mind than she was. She handed over the keys and grabbed her purse as they hurried out to the garage to Burt's truck. Trembling, Carole watched as Burt gripped the steering wheel with two white-knuckled fists. His foot was like lead on the gas as he drove quickly to the highway.

Westerville was a little over an hour away.

. ~ . ~ .

_Earlier that night_

_7:45 PM_

"That was the most amazing dinner anyone has ever taken me to," Kurt announced as he slid into the passenger seat of his own Lincoln Navigator. He'd been tired after a long week – the transfer back to McKinley had been so emotional that he was even physically exhausted – and Blaine offered to drive back to their house. Kurt wanted to preserve his strength for the long-anticipated night of making out ahead of them.

"I'm glad you liked it," Blaine said sincerely. He'd dug around a little and found out Kurt's love for Italian food, then found the most expensive Italian restaurant in Westerville to take Kurt to before they headed back to his house, on the far side of town and nearly forty minutes away from Dalton.

"The shrimp scampi there was delicious. I need to know what their recipe is for that sauce because _oh my god_ I think my taste buds had multiple orgasms," Kurt announced. He buckled his seatbelt and slouched down in the seat, patting his stomach happily. Blaine laughed out loud and snuck a loving glance over at his boyfriend.

Boyfriend.

The concept of it was still new to Blaine, especially when applied to Kurt.

But there was no doubt in Blaine's mind that _this_ was real. What he had with Kurt was nothing short of amazing and while they were still in the honeymoon phase, there was no doubt in his mind that Kurt and he would be forever.

"You're thinking too hard," Kurt said softly. Blaine smiled softly, his eyes scrunching up a bit in the corners. Kurt reached up to touch his cheek, then his slender fingers reached up and toyed with a single curl that had broken loose from Blaine's usually perfectly gelled helmet of hair.

"Kurt," Blaine said softly. "I am so in love with you."

The younger boy's blue eyes lit up, his lips drawn in a wide smile. He slowly dropped his hand, and sat up a little. In the light from the street lamps outside, Blaine could see his perfect pale skin and the sparkle in his eyes that showed how emotionally vulnerable he was. Blaine was so, _so_ happy that he had swooped in and snatched Kurt into his arms before anyone else was. Kurt was the definition of perfect and he didn't even have to try.

"I'm in love with you too," Kurt whispered, his high, melodic voice making Blaine's heart beat a little faster. Kurt's voice was one of the most beautiful, unique things about him. It was the first thing Blaine noticed about him that day on the staircase when they first met, and it had captured Blaine's attention.

"Can I kiss you?" Blaine asked. Then Navigator hummed around them, the engine sending slow, even pulses through the body of the car. The radio was down so low it might as well have not even been on.

"Of course," Kurt said. Blaine's eyes darted down to look at Kurt's perfect pink lips. Every time he saw them he thought back to that first nervous kiss shared between them. He'd been so worried what Kurt would say when he learned of Blaine's feelings, but to that kiss he'd responded amazingly.

Blaine switched off the car and dropped the keys in an empty cup holder. He leaned over the center console and Kurt met him halfway in a tender, love filled kiss. The first contact sent a jolt through Blaine's body, making him tremble as he felt Kurt's lips part tentatively, welcoming Blaine to take the kiss a little farther.

Instead of taking advantage of this opportunity, he pulled back and watched confusion flash across Kurt's face before the younger boy settled back in his seat.

"Kurt, I…I have something to say," Blaine said, his eyebrows drawing close together. Kurt almost looked afraid until his eyes followed Blaine's right hand, which was fumbling around in his jacket pocket. He pulled his hand out after a second, keeping it closed in a tight fist so as to not drop the treasure inside.

"What?" Kurt asked hesitantly.

"I'm so in love with you that it hurts," Blaine told him. Kurt visibly relaxed and his lips parted to let out a relieved sigh. Blaine wanted to kiss those lips again, but he resisted. "I know we've only been dating for a month, but it seems like so much longer to me. I don't know how I didn't see you before, how perfect you are, how brilliant, talented, amazing, _sexy_ you are. I know it's way too early to ask you to marry me because we're only seventeen years old and we've still got another year of high school left and then college and who knows what will happen between this moment and then. I love you so much, Kurt Hummel, and I want to give you a ring."

Blaine extended his palm to show Kurt a beautiful gold band, slightly wider on the top to accentuate three tiny diamond stones. Kurt's eyes were wider than they'd ever been, even wider than after their first kiss, and his lips quivered as he fought tears that threatened to tumble from his eyes.

"I want you to know, Kurt, that I will never break up with you. Ever. We will be together as long as you want me, and you only have to wear the ring if you want. Just…just please take it," Blaine urged, looking at Kurt with bright, hopeful eyes.

Finally, Kurt raised his hand towards Blaine and spoke. "Well aren't you gonna put it on?"

Blaine let out a chuckle and took Kurt's soft hand in his, slipping the ring on his finger. It fit perfectly. He looked up to see Kurt smiling, teeth and all. That's how he knew Kurt was _really_ happy.

"We should go to your house now," Kurt said, marveling at the ring on his finger. Blaine took a few more moments to admire Kurt in the low light, thinking about how utterly kissable he looked. But he wanted to maintain a little of Kurt's innocent look for a little while longer, so he started up the Navigator and put it in reverse to back out of their parking spot.

Kurt turned the music up and hummed along, tipping his head back and closing his eyes as Blaine pulled out of the restaurant parking lot and onto the main road. He twisted the ring around on his finger until he drifted off to sleep not ten minutes down the road. Blaine slowed to a stop at a red light and chanced a look over at Kurt, whose mouth was open slightly as he slept quietly. Blaine couldn't believe how adorable his boyfriend was.

_His boyfriend_.

He'd never heard two words that fit together more perfectly. The only thing that could've made them better were the words _Kurt Hummel is_ directly before them.

The light turned green and Blaine stepped on the gas, not really in a hurry since no one was behind him.

He never saw the other car. It was a quiet night and the music was playing and Kurt was sleeping next to him. He had the green light and everything was perfect.

Until the music was gone and there was nothing but screeching metal and everything was spinning. Everything was a blur of strange colors and horrible noises and the only sound that came from his mouth was a strangled cry of Kurt's name as he squeezed his eyes shut and hoped to god that Kurt wasn't feeling this pain too.

Then everything jolted to a stop. The noise was gone all too quickly and all that was left was a steaming engine, a quickly deflating airbag, and a slow grind of settling metal car parts.

Blaine groaned as his chest ached with the effort to breathe. He didn't know where he was anymore and his head hurt. His arm was twisted oddly at his side and something metal was in front of him, keeping him in his seat. The more he let himself settle, the ache started to go away a little. It felt like his arm was the worst of the injuries.

"Blaine?" The whimper was so quiet Blaine almost didn't hear it. He turned his head to the side slowly, wincing. When he saw Kurt, he cried out, but not from his own pain.

Kurt's side of the car was completely crushed. Kurt wasn't even in his seat anymore. He was half up on the dash, the door crushed inward, making it so Blaine couldn't see Kurt's legs. Blaine hoped more than anything that they were still attached to Kurt.

Blaine struggled to undo his seatbelt with one hand. He shifted, dragging himself up and punching the glass of the windshield out and away from Kurt, who was already halfway through it. Kurt's face was covered in blood and Blaine could see the huge gash in which blood seeped into Kurt's hair. Kurt was crying out to him, sobbing as his whole body quivered in shock.

"Blaine? Blaine! Where are you, Blaine? I need you…please, Blaine, everything hurts!" Kurt cried. Blaine settled his good hand on Kurt's shoulder, rubbing softly as he got as close to Kurt's head as he could.

"I'm here, Kurt. I'm right here, baby, just hold on. I love you, Kurt, please just hold on," Blaine pleaded with Kurt. He heard other people's voices around now, and sirens were in the distance. Blaine's fist tightened in Kurt's shirt and Blaine inched closer, until something jabbed him hard in the side and he couldn't anymore. He pressed his head against Kurt's shirt, feeling that Kurt's warmth was gone. He was shivering cold. Then Blaine realized his hand was sticky. Sticky with blood. Kurt was bleeding all over.

"Blaine. I'm tired. Please, Blaine, I don't wanna sleep. I wanna stay with you," Kurt cried.

"Don't sleep, baby. Stay with me, please don't sleep." Blaine knew he was yelling. He shouted at Kurt, begging him not to succumb to the cold and leave him. "Don't leave me, Kurt. I love you."

The sirens were there now, right next to them. He heard other people yelling, now.

"Hello? Sir, are you ok?" Someone yelled into the car. Blaine looked over to see firefighters surrounding the car.

"Kurt's not ok," Blaine said. "He's hurt. Someone help him, please!"

Kurt stopped trembling and Blaine cried louder.

Then he was pulled away. And they were helping him. There were hands helping Kurt, but everything was suddenly so loud and fuzzy. All he wanted to do was hug Kurt and help him.

But then he was out of the car and pinned to a board and carried to an ambulance. He cried the whole time, wanting nothing more than to see if Kurt was ok.

He asked everyone if Kurt was ok. He begged anyone to tell him that Kurt was going to live.

No one told him anything.

. ~ . ~ .

_Westerville Hospital_

_10:39 PM_

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hummel, but your son is still in surgery. You're going to have to wait in the waiting room."

It took two doctors, four nurses, and an insistent Carole to usher Burt to the waiting room. He was told a police officer would be in shortly to explain the details of the accident. When they reached the waiting room, it was empty save for one person sitting in the corner, their head down and their body quivering.

The room did nothing to calm Burt down. The walls were white and unsettling, the maroon chairs contrasting greatly. Carole urged Burt to sit down in one of the chairs, but he was restless. He just wanted to see Kurt. To see if he was ok. To know if he was _alive_.

Carole sat down three chairs away from the other occupant of the waiting room and watched as Burt paced unrelenting circles around the room.

"Burt, honey, please sit," Carole said, unable to hide the shock and sadness from her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the other person stiffen and look up slightly at the mention of Burt's name. She looked over and did a double take to make sure it was who she thought it was.

_Blaine_.

The poor boy was almost as white as the walls and he looked to be in shock. His arm was wrapped in a white cast and his Dalton Academy uniform sweater was torn and bloodied. He must've been in the accident too.

"Blaine?" Carole asked softly. He looked up at her, golden eyes shining. She gasped, having never seen Kurt's boyfriend – she'd been the first to know they were dating thanks to her closeness to Kurt – in such a horrible state. He was pale and trembling, exuding fear and shock and pain. By his expression alone, she knew the outlook couldn't have been good.

"You!" Burt's clipped shout echoed in the waiting room. Blaine's head snapped to look at the older man, his eyes widening even more. Burt crossed the white tile floor in three great strides, hovering above Blaine. "You were there? You were there with my son, weren't you?"

"Y-Yes," Blaine cried, trying to hide from the older Hummel's anger.

"What happened?" Burt demanded.

"I don't know!" Blaine sobbed. He didn't. He had been too shocked for the police to tell him. "All I remember is that the light turned green and I started going and Kurt was sleeping and we were almost to my house!"

"You were driving?" Burt shouted. "Kurt let _you_ drive him? Kurt _trusted you_ and you did this to him?"

"I didn't!" Blaine cried.

"You were driving! You were driving and now Kurt is hurt and it certainly wasn't _his_ fault now was it?" Burt continued to raise his voice at the sobbing teenager. Carole stood and grasped her husband's arm.

"Burt, honey, _please_. Your heart is already stressed enough." Her gentle insistence got him sitting down as his chest rose and fell rapidly. He glared over at Blaine.

"I'm sorry," Blaine whimpered. He cradled his broken arm and looked away from Kurt's parents.

Carole looked at the boy, worried. He looked so alone and afraid. His parents were here and he looked like he was just waiting for someone to tell him to do something. She hoped someone would help him soon, but her train of thought changed when a man in a pristine police uniform came up to them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hummel?" the officer inquired.

Carole and Burt both nodded in the affirmative, their attention drawn away from Blaine for the moment. Kurt was at the forefront of their minds. Innocent, vulnerable Kurt who was possibly dying on the operating table.

"My name is Officer Levon. I was the first responding officer at the scene of your son's accident. From what we know of now, the driver of the other car was drunk and traveling at seventy miles per hour when he ran a red light, running into the side of your son's vehicle. The driver was dead at the scene, but both your son and Mr. Anderson here were alive. From what I can tell you, it took half an hour to remove Kurt from the vehicle and once in the ambulance, he lost consciousness. That's all I know," the officer explained to them.

Burt looked overwhelmingly angry, his fists clenching and unclenching on the arms of the chair. Carole cried quietly beside him. Blaine was silent.

The officer began to explain to them next steps. Where they could find the totaled car. How soon to call the insurance company. Who to call if the worst happens and Kurt doesn't make it.

No one listened until a doctor fully clad in dark blue scrubs entered the waiting room, taking off his gloves with two loud snaps. He looked grim, and his face alone caused Carole to let out a choked sob.

"Are you the parents of Kurt Hummel?" the surgeon asked. Burt nodded and his jaw set as he attempted to stay strong through what he knew was going to be nothing but bad news. "There is massive swelling of the brain, and we will have to monitor it for a few days. He lost consciousness on the way here, so it's difficult to tell if he'll be able to wake up. All we can do is wait."

The surgeon paused, allowing them time to let it sink in. Mostly they were still in shock.

"Both his legs are broken and there was damage to a few of the discs in his lower spinal column. If he does wake up…"

"When," Blaine interrupted him, sending both Hummel's heads turning towards him. "_When_ he wakes up.

"When he wakes up," the surgeon continued, "I don't know if he'll be able to walk."

"Can I see my son?" Burt asked. "Please, I need to see my son."

The surgeon looked uncertain, but then nodded in the affirmative. Burt and Carole both stood, but then Carole decided to stay behind. She wanted to allow her husband a moment alone with his son.

Burt and the doctor disappeared down the hallway, and Carole retreated back to the sobbing, shuddering boy that Blaine had been reduced to.

"I'm sorry," Blaine cried, shaking his head. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Hey, Blaine honey, it's ok," Carole whispered, pulling him into her arms. "Where are your parents, sweetie?"

"Home," Blaine answered, even though it was a lie. His parents were in New York for the weekend and that was why he invited Kurt over. He'd called his mom and dad and told them he was in trouble and needed them, not disclosing the details of the accident. They asked him if he could get home by himself, and he tried to tell them no, he couldn't. He needed his parents, but they wouldn't come back early. They promised they would be there for him on Sunday, when they got home.

"Are they coming to get you?" Carole asked. "They must be worried."

"I called them and my dad is sick so they can't come," Blaine lied. He hoped Carole would believe it through his haze of tears. He was so in pain and numb at the same time. Kurt was hurt. Kurt might not wake up. Kurt might not walk again. He felt so guilty. If he hadn't insisted on driving just so Kurt would have more energy to make out with him later, then Kurt would be the one with the broken arm and he would be the one on the brink of death.

He never wanted to trade places with anyone like he wanted to trade places with Kurt at that moment.

"I'll take you home," Carole said. She stood and grasped Blaine's hand. It wasn't the broken one, but it was still wrapped up in a bandage from when he punched the glass out of the windshield.

"Thank you," Blaine said. She helped him to his feet and they slowly headed to the parking lot, where Burt had haphazardly parked half in a handicap space. She helped Blaine into the truck, listening to him when he explained that he'd been seen in the emergency room and then discharged with signed forms his parents had faxed to the hospital just so Blaine and the doctors would stop calling them.

It was only ten minutes from the Westerville Hospital to the Anderson House. Blaine's house was bigger than the Hummel House, and there were cars outside giving the illusion that his parents were home. They pulled up in the driveway and Carole offered to walk him inside.

"N-No," Blaine said. "Just go back to Mr. Hummel and Kurt."

"Are you _sure _you're going to be ok?" Carole asked once more.

"Yes," Blaine promised. He was about to shut the truck door when he turned back to Carole and looked up at her, looking more broken and hurt than Carole had ever seen anyone look. "Mrs. Hummel?"

The broken crack of his voice made Carole's heart ache.

"Yes, dear?"

"Does Mr. Hummel hate me now?" Blaine asked. Burt had never really liked Blaine to begin with, but now surely he would hate him. Carole just stared at him, unable to answer the question. Blaine took that as a yes and asked one more question. "Do you think I might be able to see Kurt soon?"

"We'll see, Blaine. We'll see," Carole said. She watched Blaine trudge up to his house and left only when he was safe inside. On her way back to the hospital, she called Finn and explained the situation to him, but insisted that he just go home and try to rest and she would come home to get him in the morning.

Finn didn't like that idea, but he agreed anyway.

. ~ . ~ .

_Room c312_

_11:02 PM_

The heart monitor was steady as it beeped. The cord that ran to it was one of many cords, wires, and tubes that connected Kurt to various machines. Burt could barely see his son from behind the thick tube that was down his throat, forcing his chest to rise and fall. Another machine pumped oxygen through that tube, whirring steadily.

Kurt was purple with bruises all over and his legs were bound in casts. His head was wrapped in a bandage and all of his hair was gone. Burt knew his son would have a heart attack when he woke up and saw that. His arms were covered in nicks and cuts and he already looked dead.

"My son," Burt muttered. He pulled up a chair beside Kurt's bed and rested his larger hand over Kurt's. "My son."

There was no response, and in that silence Burt Hummel finally let himself go.

He gripped Kurt's small, purple-hued hand, and he _sobbed_.

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><p>AN Ok before you throw fruit at me, I would like to take this opportunity to say that this story WILL HAVE A HAPPY ENDING.

On that note, let me know what you thought!  
>Also you can follow me on tumblr (at) you-had-me-at-skin-tight-jeans<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! I appreciate it very much. Hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.

Also, I own nothing!

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><p><em>May 1, 2011<em>

_6:54 PM_

Blaine sat alone in his room, curled up in the middle of his queen sized mattress. He was surrounded by pillows in pillow cases that ranged from forest green satin to old drool stained Star Wars themed. His arm ached horribly, but he wasn't eighteen so he couldn't fill his own prescription of pain relievers, and he'd emptied out the remainder of his mother's ibuprofen the night before.

His parents were supposed to be home soon, but Blaine took more comfort in his R2D2 themed pillow case. They would be tired after their barely two hour flight, and they wouldn't want to run to the store to get him pain relievers until the next day. They wouldn't be understanding of his situation and he knew he'd have to go to Dalton the next day, regardless of Kurt lying unconscious in a hospital bed and Blaine not having heard anything since Carole Hudson-Hummel took him home.

It wasn't that Jack and Carla Anderson didn't care about their son. Blaine knew they loved him, especially his mother. She'd return from her trip with her arms laden with shopping bags full of gifts for her son. It was his father that had the problem. He would be supportive to a certain point, surely, but Blaine dreaded having to tell him what his father did not want to hear.

Blaine longed to have the acceptance and love that Burt Hummel showed Kurt, but his father just hadn't gotten there yet. His envy for the depth of the Hummel father-son relationship made him feel another wave of tears rushing through him, just when he thought there were no more tears to cry.

His dry eyes drifted closed against Blaine's will, and he was faced again with the image of Kurt lying half on the dash, half on the hood of the mangled Navigator, his purple shirt slowly darkening with blood as every damaged muscle and tendon quivered around shocked, broken bones as Kurt cried out in a strangled voice for Blaine to help him.

Forcing those golden eyes open again, Blaine covered his face with his R2D2 pillow and _screamed_. He screamed until he couldn't anymore, then gasped for breath but only got the stale fabric of the pillowcase from his childhood. His lungs spasmed painfully as he gasped, forcing the pillow off his face as he gulped in air. Groaning in frustration, he fell back on the bed and cried loudly.

His arm _hurt_.

But the still fresh memory of Kurt's beautiful, flawless, amazing body twisted and crushed and injured in so many ways hurt even worse.

Tears continued for a long time until he heard a car pull up in the drive. The squeak of the breaks and the slamming of the door sent his mind reeling and he tried so hard not to remember the spinning and the screeching and his own voice crying out to Kurt, but the effort was futile.

He sobbed harder until the front door opened and his parents' laughter filled the air and the door slammed shut. Loud clunking of suitcases being dropped on the hardwood floor of the foyer mirrored the sounds of Blaine's heart as it beat nervously in his chest.

"Blaine, dearest, we're home!" Carla's voice echoed up the stairs and through the half open door of Blaine's room. Her high heel clad feet clicked up the wood stairs. Blaine curled up even tighter in the center of his bed, waiting for his mother to enter his room without a single knock.

As if on cue, she barged in with a huge smile on her face. Then she saw him. And his face. And the cast on his arm. It took her a moment, but she recalled the conversation with her son that she refused to let bother her vacation.

"_Mom, I'm at the hospital," Blaine said, his voice small and afraid._

"_What for this time?" Carla snapped, right in the middle of her expensive seafood dinner._

"_I-I was in an accident," Blaine whimpered. "A car accident. And I really need my mom right now."_

"_Blaine Daniel Anderson, I'm in the middle of dinner. Is your car hurt?" _

"_N-no. It was my friend's car. My arm is broken and I'm scared. _Please_," Blaine pleaded. "Won't you come home for me?"_

"_Dearest, you know how long we've been looking forward to this trip. Just go home and get some rest and you have my permission to eat all the ice cream you want. On Sunday night, we'll be home and you can tell us all about it then."_

She'd arranged to have him released from the hospital, then went about the remainder of her shopping trip. Now she had to deal with the reality of it. Her son was hurt.

"Whatever happened?" she gasped, hurrying over to his side. He crawled over to her, sinking into her welcoming arms. Her perfume had faded some but her neck still smelled faintly of roses. It reminded him of Kurt. He cried harder.

Before Blaine could answer, his father came into the room. Jack Anderson was a large man who towered over his son. He was the source of Blaine's dark hair and dark complexion, but as far as he was concerned everything else about Blaine came from the _other_ side of the family. Jack loved Carla to pieces but it wasn't his fault that two of her brothers were…_homosexual_.

Most of the time Jack loved his son, but the boy was soft and he couldn't be crying into his mommy's shoulder for the rest of his life. The older man settled on the bed a good foot away from his son and pried Blaine away from his mom.

"Hey, son, it's all right. Just tell us what happened," Jack said, eyeing the cast on Blaine's arm. Blaine had never taken injuries very well.

"I was driving my friend's car back here because he was tired and didn't want to drive and we went through a light and some guy ran a red and hit us, and Kurt's not ok. He's in the hospital and I don't know if he's going to live but I know he's not ok and I just want to see him and my arm _hurts_," Blaine sobbed. He reached for his mother again, but Jack pulled him back.

"Kurt? Is he that fag you've been spending so much time with?" Jack snapped.

"P-Please don't call him that," Blaine whimpered. "He's my boyfriend and I love him. You can't call him names. I love him."

Jack stiffened and removed his semi-comforting hand from Blaine's shoulder. He hated when his own son had to remind him of his being _like that_.

"You don't know what love is," Jack said. He stood up and eyed his son. "A little pain and life experience is good for you. Builds character and all that shit. Get some sleep and I'll drive you to school in the morning."

With that, Jack left the room. Carla took the opportunity to draw Blaine into her arms again as he sobbed even harder.

"He's just trying, dearest. He doesn't know how to take it. You can't just drop those bombs on him like that, Blaine. You know how he is," Carla whispered, stroking Blaine's thick black curls on top of his head and pressing soft kisses to his temple.

"I want to see Kurt. Will you take me to the hospital to see Kurt?" Blaine asked, looking up at her with raw, tear-filled eyes.

"I…I don't think that would be the best thing to do right now," Carla said. "Maybe later you can call someone and they'll tell you how he is. The best thing to do is get some sleep now."

"But I don't want sleep!" Blaine shouted, pulling away from his mother. "I want to see Kurt!"

"Stop being a child," Carla scolded. "You're nearly eighteen years old."

Before Blaine could force his traumatized brain to think of a witty response, Carla was gone, slamming the bedroom door behind her and leaving Blaine once again to deal with his fears alone.

. ~ . ~ .

_May 3, 2011_

_7:21 AM_

Carole noticed that the door to Kurt's bedroom was open, and she looked in. Finn was lying on Kurt's bed, hugging one of Kurt's pillows to his chest, and Carole tried not to let herself be overwhelmed with sadness.

"Finn, you've got to go to school today," Carole said. She stepped inside Kurt's bedroom. She loved Kurt's room, the way it was decorated and color coordinated, the layout of the room. Part of their decision to buy this house had been this room for Kurt. Because he deserved it.

"He just came back," Finn said. He was wide awake on the bed, fully clothed and ready to go. "He just came back to McKinley and now this. He was just starting to be happy. He was back and he had a boyfriend and he was _happy_."

Carole drew here eyebrows together – perfectly shaped thanks to Kurt – and sat beside Finn, placing her hand on his arm in a comforting gesture.

"What are we gonna do if he doesn't wake up?" Finn asked. He didn't turn his head, but his eyes were trained on her sad face.

"He will," Carole assured her son. "Of course he will. He's Kurt. Why wouldn't he?"

She grasped his hand in hers and pulled him off the bed. Finn had a long day of school ahead of him, she knew that. His stepbrother was lying comatose in a bed in a hospital. His friends were going to be asking questions, wanting answers that Finn didn't want to give. She just hoped he had the strength to get himself through it.

Once Finn was gone, off to the toughest day of school he'd ever have to face, Carole collapsed on the couch in the quiet living room and cried. She was alone at last and took the opportunity to cry out one simple word. _Why?_

. ~ . ~ .

_May 3, 2011_

_8:06 PM_

Burt hadn't left Kurt's bedside in days. He waited, he hoped, he prayed despite knowing Kurt wouldn't approve. He just wanted Kurt to wake up. He wanted to see those beautiful blue eyes that mirrored Elizabeth's – his late wife, Kurt's mother – and he wanted to hear Kurt's melodic voice, no matter how girly it sounded.

Burt wanted Kurt's hand to squeeze his back and he wanted that tube out of his kid's throat. But without it Kurt couldn't breathe and then he'd never wake up.

This was almost worse than watching Elizabeth die.

Resting his head on the edge of the uncomfortable bed, he wondered if Kurt knew it wasn't his bed. He knew from experience that coma patients could feel the presence of their loved ones. He remembered when he woke up after his heart attack induced coma, and Kurt had been there and his presence was familiar. Kurt needed that now.

"So…buddy…I know you're probably hurting right now but I just want you to know that it wasn't your fault. I love you and I just want you to wake up. It was just an accident. Some asshole wasn't watching out for you and now you're here, hurt. So just…just please wake up for me, huh kiddo?" Burt gave Kurt's hand a small squeeze.

Kurt didn't reply.

A sigh escaped Burt's mouth and he let himself get mesmerized by the steady rhythm of the machines that indicated his son's heart was beating regularly. As long as that sound kept up, Kurt was still alive.

The odd peacefulness of the room was interrupted by the door opening. It admitted Nurse Kathryn, who had been tending to Kurt since his admittance. She carried a large bouquet of roses in a blue vase and set them on a table beside Kurt's bed. Burt noticed a stake with a card peaking up from the flowers.

"Good morning, Mr. Hummel," Nurse Kathryn said, trying not to sound too cheerful. "How is Kurt today?"

"Same as yesterday," Burt grumbled. He withdrew his hand from Kurt's, refusing to let anyone see how weak this made him.

"Someone sent him some flowers," Nurse Kathryn said. She checked all of Kurt's fluids and scribbled something on his chart. "Someone named Blaine."

Burt stiffened and his hand went back to grasping Kurt's. Blaine was the last person Burt wanted to hear about. Blaine was driving. Blaine walked away from the accident. Blaine was another boy who liked Kurt, who wanted to tarnish the innocence Kurt managed to hold onto. Blaine had even gone so far as to ask him to give Kurt the sex talk, and for what reasons? So he could take advantage of Kurt?

He didn't hardly think so.

If Kurt ever woke up, Burt would have a serious conversation with him about future relationships. Even more serious than "the talk".

When Nurse Kathryn left, Burt threw away the flowers and the card without even reading it.

. ~ . ~ .

_May 12, 2010_

_5:34 PM_

Carole got Burt to come home at last, but he was uncomfortable the entire time. At dinner, her husband fidgeted and picked at his food and glanced at the phone, then check the time. The table was quiet with just the two of them plus Finn, and the whole house smelled like the delicious steak and baked potatoes Carole had made.

Unfortunately none of them were hungry.

Kurt's spot at the table was empty and the knowledge that he was lying in a hospital bed more than an hour away did nothing to soothe their wondering minds and aching hearts. What if he woke up when they weren't there? He would be alone and confused.

Finn's cellphone buzzed on the table and he paused in picking at his potato to look at it. He felt his mother and stepfather's gazes set on him and he cleared his throat.

"Mercedes," Finn said. Carole gave him a look that encouraged him to answer it, but he just shrugged and pressed ignore on the phone's screen. "I know she's just trying to find stuff out about Kurt. Blaine's been bugging her."

Burt's face contorted into the epitome of misery. His anger at that boy never seemed to cease and it hurt to think that some other guy's son walked away from that accident while _his_ son why in the freaking hospital.

"How has Blaine been coping?" Carole asked. She hadn't sensed Burt's discomfort. She knew better than he did how important Blaine was to Kurt, and how important Kurt was to Blaine.

"His parents haven't let him leave the house except for to go to school," Finn said. He looked at Burt, who as far as Finn knew was the reason Blaine didn't get to see Kurt. "He just wants to know if Kurt is ok."

"Let him suffer a little longer," Burt said. Carole shot him an odd look, her eyebrows drawn together.

"Burt, you can't seriously blame that poor boy for what happened to Kurt," Carole said. Burt shook his head and dropped his utensils on his plate with a loud clang.

"He walked away!" Burt raised his voice. He stood up with such force that his table when tumbling backwards. "He walked away and he gets to live a normal life while Kurt is barely hanging on. He deserves any guilt he feels!"

"Burt, he's just a teenager. The accident wasn't even Blaine's fault," Carole said, trying to reason with him. The image of Blaine, alone and hurt and afraid without so much as his own parents to comfort him had haunted Carole almost as much as Kurt's pale, purple-hued face in the hospital bed when she saw him after the accident.

"He can't see my kid," Burt said. "He just can't."

Needing to have the final word in this argument, Burt left the dining room and hurried upstairs. Carole presumed he went to Kurt's room, a space that they all took turns invading just for the sake of feeling closer to the boy who they were soon finding out they couldn't live without.

. ~ . ~ .

_May 12, 2011_

_4:21 PM_

"We're leaving for Nationals tomorrow," Mercedes said. She folded a Dalton uniform sweater and tucked it in the drawer of Blaine's dresser. After learning from Finn that Kurt's father didn't want Blaine to see Kurt, she felt incredibly bad for him. She knew from countless phone conversations that Blaine was indeed the best thing that had ever happened to Kurt.

Of course, Blaine shouldn't feel _that _bad. Kurt's father wasn't letting _anyone_ see him. Not even her, Mercedes, Kurt's best friend in the whole entire world.

"Have fun," Blaine said. There was a guitar beside him, but because of his broken arm he couldn't play it. His fingers ached to strum the strings, to write something. Maybe a song for Kurt.

"You don't think we should go, do you?" Mercedes asked, putting a pristine white uniform shirt on a hanger. When she saw the mess of Blaine's room, she offered to help him clean it. Now she could almost see the dark blue carpeting under piles of clothes and sheet music and various musical instruments.

"Don't be silly," Blaine said, running his fingers over the shiny strings along the neck of the guitar. "Just because you guys will be in New York, having fun on the two week anniversary of the accident while Kurt just lies there alone and in pain doesn't mean you shouldn't _try_ to have a good time."

Blaine's eyes were narrowed and his lip curled disgustedly, a look that didn't flatter his otherwise incredibly handsome – to the point where Mercedes was actually jealous of Kurt – face. He shoved the guitar away from him and curled up once more on the center of his bed.

"So you don't think we should go," Mercedes said.

"You have to. It's Nationals. You might never get another chance to go. Besides, it's not like Kurt helped you guys get there or anything," Blaine snapped. His hostility made Mercedes cringe, but really, he had a good excuse.

"If it's any consolation, Finn said that Kurt's dad is going to New York with us," Mercedes said. She tossed a curious look over her shoulder to momentarily gage Blaine's reaction. It wasn't so much Blaine's parents keeping him from seeing Kurt, it was Burt. The man had refused to let anyone but Carole and Finn see Kurt, and with him out of town, Blaine could go to the Westerville Hospital and see for himself if Kurt was even still alive.

"Why would he just leave with Kurt in the hospital?" Blaine asked.

Mercedes let out a long sigh through her nose. Her heart was beginning to ache again, not for Blaine this time. For poor Kurt. Kurt was lively and energetic and sassy. He wasn't supposed to be lying stationary on a bed while everyone around him wondered if they'd ever hear his angelic voice again.

"Finn says it's because his mom thinks it will be good for Kurt's dad to have a distraction. They were worried about Kurt waking up while they were gone, but then the doctors told them that if Kurt wasn't awake by now, there's a good chance he might never wake up. We just don't know," Mercedes told him. She finished folding a pair of Dalton uniform trousers and moved to sit on the edge of Blaine's bed.

"I'm gonna go visit him. When you guys are in New York. I'll go by myself," Blaine said determinedly. Mercedes offered him a small smile, then announced that she had to go. She gave Blaine a long comforting hug, then left to begin the drive back to Lima.

. ~ . ~ .

_May 13, 2011_

_6:43 AM_

It may have been Friday the thirteenth, but Blaine was going to let nothing come in the way of seeing Kurt today. His parents were hesitant to let him drive to school by himself after the accident, but he insisted today. Taking the keys to his champagne colored Lexus, he went out to the paved driveway and looked at his car.

A feeling of anxiety settled itself in the pit of Blaine's stomach, but he swallowed it down and strode over to the vehicle. Closing his eyes, he fumbled for the door handle, then slipped inside. Fingers trembling, he put the key in the ignition and turned.

The engine roared to life and he nearly screamed in surprise. After a moment, his nerves settled some and he realized it was just the engine. No reason to be nervous. No reason at all.

He put the car into reverse and carefully drove. He didn't put music on like usual. He wanted to hear and see _everything_.

By the time he made it to the Westerville Hospital, his knuckles were white from his grip on the steering wheel and there were tears in his eyes from concentrating so hard. He liked to think he was so anxious because it was his first time skipping school ever without permission and he knew his parents would find out, but he knew that dread had settled inside of him at the thought of seeing Kurt broken and unconscious.

He entered the hospital through the front and, afraid to ask for help, Blaine wondered the halls peering at charts and peaking inside doors until a nurse finally asked him if he needed help.

"I-I'm here to see my friend. Kurt Hummel." Blaine avoided eye contact with the woman who looked at him with a kind expression.

"Of course. He's one of my charges," the nurse told him. "You wouldn't happen to be the Blaine who keeps sending him flowers, now would you?"

He chanced a look at her sympathetic smiling face and found himself overcome with emotion. She reached out and touched his arm.

"Let me take you to him. I'm sure he misses your voice," the nurse said, as if she understood him perfectly. He followed her a little ways down the wide hallway, past white walls broken by brown wooden doors with gray blinds pulled down over the windows. She took him down a short, narrow hallway. The walls turned from white to a cheerful shade of light blue. The walls of each room that looked out into the hallway were glass. They reminded him of the rooms in the hospital on _House_. Then his heart ached a little. Kurt loved to watch _House_ with him. Shaking his head he realized that the nurse stopped a little ways ahead of him.

Long floor-to-ceiling blinds blocked the room from view, and the nurse grasped the white plastic door handle and slid the glass door open.

Blaine was hit with a stifling wave of warm air from the room. He stood in the doorway, his eyes closed as his heart pounded, going twice the rate of the slow, even heart monitor that beeped within the room.

"Go on," the nurse urged him softly. Blaine opened his eyes, which were surprisingly dry given the occasion. He stepped inside the room and laid eyes on Kurt.

A choked sob tried to force its way out of Blaine's throat, but he forced it to stay down. Kurt looked…well…he looked _dead_. He was so pale that every tiny freckle on his face stuck out from the contrast. His arms were limp by his sides and tubes were draped across his front connecting him to various machines. A thick blue tube held his mouth open and his hair was _gone_. There was a thick bandage on one side of his head, but the rest of his pale head was covered only by a stubbly layer of hair that had begun to grow back after being shaved off.

Blaine wanted Kurt awake as much as, if not more than, anyone else but he sincerely hoped he wasn't present if Kurt woke up to see _that_.

Moving carefully, he found himself at Kurt's side. He reached out to touch Kurt's delicate hand, feeling the skin was surprisingly dry and taut over the bones. Blaine sat down and grasped his boyfriend's hand, bringing it up to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it. The door to the room slid shut and Blaine glanced back to see that the nurse had left him alone.

"You're gorgeous, Kurt," Blaine said, his voice raspy from crying so much. "Even like this, I can't help but marvel at how unbelievably _gorgeous_ you are. I just don't understand how this could happen to someone so perfect."

He dropped his backpack beside him on the ground and reached inside with one hand to find the small bottle of lotion Kurt had given him a month before. Blaine remembered his words perfectly.

"_As boyfriends we will of course be holding hands a lot. So here is a bottle of lotion. Apply it at least once a day."_

He let go of Kurt's hand long enough to squirt a small bit of lotion into his own palm. He spread the lotion around his own hands a bit before grasping Kurt's hand again and gently rubbing the lotion into Kurt's skin.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. I've really missed you," Blaine said. When he was done with that hand, he move to the other side of Kurt's bed to do the same to the other hand. Kurt remained stationary, near lifeless the entire time. "It's been hell, you know. My parents found out about you and they've been trying to keep me from seeing you. Your friends are in New York right now at Nationals. Mercedes really misses you."

Blaine spoke absentmindedly, focusing his attention on Kurt's left hand. As he rubbed the lotion in, he realized that the ring he had place on Kurt's finger wasn't there. His heart sunk in sadness.

"I love you, Kurt. And I meant what I said. I won't ever leave you. If you never wake up, then I'll be lonely the rest of my life," Blaine promised him.

"You really like him, don't you?" A deep voice asked from behind him. Blaine nearly jumped out of the uncomfortable maroon chair as he turned to see Burt Hummel standing in the doorway.

Blaine nearly panicked, dropping Kurt's hand and standing up abruptly. He took the bottle of lotion and shoved it into his backpack, slinging the black bag over his shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Hummel," Blaine said hurriedly. He thought Kurt's dad was in New York! Maybe he had stayed behind after all. Blaine couldn't blame him for not wanting to leave Kurt. He glanced back at Kurt, feeling the familiar ache deep in his chest already. Being in the room with Kurt had momentarily made the ache vanish. "I'll go now."

He reached out to touch Kurt one last time, putting his hand on Kurt's thigh, wishing Kurt would wake up and smile his beautiful smile. He forced himself to pull away and hurried to the door.

Burt reached out and put a hand on Blaine's shoulder, causing the teenager to freeze. Blaine looked at him with wide eyes, hoping Burt wouldn't hurt him.

"You love him, don't you?" Burt asked. Blaine nodded stiffly because he so, _so_ did. Burt patted his shoulder softly. "Look, I'm sorry for…I know the accident wasn't your fault. You should…you can…come visit him anytime."

Blaine smiled, knowing how hard this was for the older man.

"Thanks," Blaine said. "I will. Definitely. I will."

Burt gave him a small smile, one that almost made the ache disappear for another moment.

"And uh, how's your arm?" Burt asked.

Blaine looked down at the cast. "It hurts sometimes. Mainly just frustrating. I wanted to write a song for Kurt but I can't play the guitar."

He blushed a little at the admission, but he saw a glint of something faintly resembling happiness in Burt's hazel eyes. He wasn't mad at Burt for treating him the way he had. A little afraid, yes, but he knew that Burt just loved Kurt so much that seeing his son in the hospital like that had to have been the most painful thing he could've endured.

Blaine knew how he felt.

"Thanks for caring about Kurt," Burt said at last.

Blaine offered him one last smile before leaving the room. Father and son needed to be alone.

. ~ . ~ .

_May 15, 2011_

_3:12 PM_

Burt walked through the front door and tossed his hat and truck keys on the table inside the door. The smell of Chinese food wafted through the house and greeted his nose with a slight tickle. He allowed himself a small smile. Carole and Finn were home from New York already. They'd both promised to take an early flight home right after the competition.

"Hey honey," Carole said when she heard him come through the door. "How was Kurt today?"

"Fine," Burt said. "His hair is growing back, thank god."

Carole chuckled softly as she gave him a kiss, then tugged him into the kitchen. Burt hated how life was slowly moving on, not revolving around Kurt. Burt planned on starting back at the shop the next day, which meant he couldn't visit Kurt every day. It was why when he saw that Blaine boy he wanted to encourage him to visit Kurt. Kurt needed someone and Blaine was better than no one.

"I ran into Blaine," Burt mentioned, knowing Carole had been wondering about the boy. Carole smiled softly. "I told him to visit Kurt whenever he wanted. I think he will."

* * *

><p>Let me know what you thought!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Glee. Sadly.

A/N: Thanks for all your wonderful reviews, guys. They're awesome. Here's chapter three. Burt/Blaine is starting to develop more but there is still a lot of focus on Kurt. That will be changing a bit soon. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><em>June 10, 2011<em>

_5:10 PM_

Blaine visited Kurt the day his cast came off. He felt he had to because he knew Kurt had been lonely the last couple weeks. Burt had been trying to distract himself from the pain of his son not waking up, so he worked overtime at the tire shop. Maybe once a week Carole and Finn managed to find time to trek out to Westerville to see Kurt. The only one that visited him constantly anymore was Blaine. Even then it was difficult to find time to go without his parents knowing.

Six weeks after the accident, Blaine had decorated Kurt's room with anything that might make Kurt feel more at home. Whenever he came, he set the new iPod he spent some of his savings on – Kurt's had been lost in the accident – and he set it on the dock beside Kurt's bed and played Lady Gaga and show tunes while he rubbed lotion on Kurt's dry skin or helped Nurse Kathryn shave Kurt's light facial hair.

The first day Blaine walked in to see Kurt with a beard, he was a little freaked out. He had to check three times to make sure he walked into the right room. He wasn't even sure Kurt could grow facial hair, but he found out from the Nurse that he just hadn't been shaven in over a week.

His visits weren't focused so much on seeing Kurt and how hurt he was. He didn't even think so much anymore about the fact that Kurt might never wake up. Kurt's silence had been unnerving before, but now Blaine was used to it. His visits were now about taking care of Kurt. He made sure Kurt's perfect skin was taken care of and he shaved him and he even helped bathe him once and once a week he was allowed to help the physical therapist do exercises with Kurt's arms. They couldn't move much else on his body since his legs were still in casts and his back was still injured.

Blaine was almost ashamed of how much he depended on that time he spent caring for Kurt. In the end, Blaine admitted to himself that taking care of Kurt was the only way he could believe that Kurt was going to live. Blaine was good at keeping promises, too. He wasn't going to leave Kurt. Not even if Kurt never woke up. He gave Kurt that ring for a reason.

The ring.

It had cost three times as much as the iPod, and it was nowhere to be found. Nurse Kathryn even inquired around the hospital to see if it had been dropped when they were moving the rest of Kurt's belongings, but whatever happened, it was gone.

So was, unfortunately, the one Blaine was to wear himself.

It had been in his blazer pocket and his blazer had been left somewhere in the mangled mess of car the night of the accident.

Blaine let out a sigh. Maybe the accident was the universe telling him he wasn't good enough for Kurt Hummel. Some divine being decided to have some guy run right into Kurt, snatching the life right out of him before Blaine gets to really enjoy the time he had with Kurt. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right, but Blaine didn't care what message someone was trying to send him. He loved Kurt and he refused to give him up.

He'd rather die himself than give up a chance to love Kurt.

"Hey, kiddo." A throat cleared behind him and Blaine paused in applying some kind of oil free moisturizer cream to Kurt's pale white and lifeless cheeks. He looked over his shoulder to see Burt Hummel standing there, offering him an uncomfortable glance. It had been five days since Burt came in to visit Kurt last.

"Hello Mr. Hummel," Blaine said. He continued applying the moisturizer. Kurt had to be comfortable. That was Blaine's number one priority.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Burt?" The older man moved over to Kurt's other side and looked down at his son.

"Just one more time, sir," Blaine said. He knew Burt was still uneasy around him after everything that happened, but if he could just show him how much he loved Kurt, he knew he could change Burt's mind about him.

"I…uh…I just wanted to thank you," Burt said, settling down in the chair beside Kurt's bed. "You're giving up your life to take care of him."

"I have to," Blaine said. "How could I not? I love him."

"I understand that, Blaine, but you're only seventeen years old. You're just a kid still. You've got your whole life ahead of you. I won't be mad at you if you want to move on," Burt told him. He looked over Kurt and his eyes met Blaine's. Blaine saw something there. It looked a little like care or maybe concern. Either way, it was a look that wasn't often directed toward Blaine, and there was a little jolt inside of him when he noticed it.

"It's only been six weeks. I won't give up on him yet," Blaine declared. He placed the bottle of moisturizer back in the bag and pulled out another.

"Maybe you should talk to someone," Burt offered. "I mean, it's the end of the school year. You should be hangin' with your buddies or whatever it is you kids do these days. You shouldn't be in here moisturizing Kurt's skin for him."

Blaine didn't respond. His friends at Dalton understood that Kurt had become such a big part of his life that his absence was physically painful for Blaine. Burt didn't know that much about Blaine though, so he couldn't know just how much Blaine needed to be there, moisturizing Kurt's skin, touching and feeling that Kurt was still there. Alive. Even if just barely.

"I know that it's probably painful for you, but I was wondering if maybe you could tell me what happened the night of the accident," Burt said, interrupting the silence. Blaine's breath hitched and his chest grew tight for a moment. He didn't like talking about it. But the older Hummel man deserved to know.

"Kurt and I went to this Italian restaurant for dinner, then we were gonna go back to my house," Blaine started. He debated lying through the next part, not telling Burt that they planned to do nothing but inappropriate things all night, but he couldn't do that. Not now. "Kurt was tired and he…he wanted to have energy for later that night. For when we were…alone. So I offered to drive and we got in the car. Before we left I told him I loved him and I gave him a ring. A promise ring. And I promised him I would never leave him."

Tears burned Blaine's eyes but he would not cry over this. Not here. Not now. Not in front of both Hummel men. He was strong.

"Then he put the ring on and we left. It was quiet out and he fell asleep in the passenger seat. He was asleep when it happened. Then after it was over, he was lying there, half through the windshield telling me how much he needed me and I couldn't be there to save him and he was bleeding so much and they pulled me away and he was hurt and I just wanted to help him and…"

"Hey, buddy, it's not your fault," Burt said, his voice soft and comforting. Blaine looked over at him with glistening eyes. "I know I said it was before, but it's not. It doesn't matter who was driving because it probably would've happened no matter what. If Kurt had been driving, this would be you."

Blaine winced. He wanted it to be him. But he knew Kurt would be hurting just as much either way.

"So you gave him a ring?" Burt continued. Blaine gave one nod and reached for Kurt's left hand, letting his blunt fingertips rest on Kurt's ring ringer.

"It was lost in the accident," Blaine said. Burt nodded and watched Blaine for a moment until the teenager removed his hands from Kurt and gathered his things. Before leaving, Blaine looked at Burt solemnly and said, "I won't stop loving him."

. ~ . ~ .

_June 13, 2011_

_10:14 AM_

Burt slipped away from Hummel Tires and Lube with the intention of sneaking another trip to Westerville in before he headed off to the annual classic car show in Montgomery County. It was a yearly event he'd taken Kurt to since the year Kurt was born. He'd contemplated taking Finn this year, but it just didn't feel right. He'd probably just go alone.

He was headed out of Lima, thinking of the last six weeks and how hard they'd been without Kurt's presence. Kurt's room was exactly like it had been before, and he knew for a fact that Carole cleaned it every few days to make sure it was spotless in case Kurt was to wake up any time. It was hard on everyone, Kurt being gone, but Burt knew it was especially hard on Blaine.

Blaine was a good kid. He took care of Kurt. He _loved_ Kurt. Hell, he even took the time to figure out all that moisturizer crap that Kurt used so much just to keep Kurt's skin looking like it did. How many people would do that for anyone let alone his kid? And Blaine loved Kurt enough to give him a ring. They hadn't been together that long and sure, it might be a little odd for a teenager to want to make a commitment like that, but Blaine cared.

Then Burt saw it. The jewelry store. The really expensive one on the outskirts of Lima that he bought Carole's engagement ring at.

Maybe he could do something right by both Kurt and Blaine.

He pulled into the empty parking lot and hopped out of his truck. Pocketing his wallet, he slammed the door shut and headed inside the door. There was a guy that dressed a lot like Kurt standing behind the counter. He raised a disapproving eyebrow when Burt strode in, heading over to the rings.

"What can I help you with sir?" the man asked, unnecessary hostility in his voice. God Burt wished his son would never grow up to be like that.

"I…uh…" Burt's eyebrows drew together. What was he here for? Well, he might as well just say it as it is. The man on the other side of the counter couldn't be judging him more already. "My son was in an accident, and his…his _boyfriend_ told me that right before the accident he gave him a ring, but now the ring is gone and I feel bad so I wanted to get another one but I don't have any idea what to get."

Before he even finished, Judgmental Jewelry Store guy was bent over, digging around in one of the jewelry cases, pulling out two rings, one a simple gold band and another the same save for two tiny diamonds set side by side.

"I assume you're talking about Kurt and Blaine, right?" Judgmental Jewelry Store guy asked. Burt looked at him, wondering how on earth he could know that. "There aren't many openly gay guys around here, so when two of them get in accidents news tends to travel fast. Especially when Blaine is your cousin."

Burt raised both eyebrows now, a little afraid of this guy. But before Burt could say anything, the guy was ringing up the two rings and giving him a discount and telling him the total – four hundred and fifty seven dollars, Jesus H. Christ – and saying they accepted payments, seeing as he understood money was tight with Kurt in the hospital and all.

He handed over his credit card and paid for them in full. Those boys deserved this. He'd be getting a large sum of money from the driver's family, so he could afford this.

He tucked the velvet boxes in his jacket safely and headed off to Westerville.

. ~ . ~ .

Blaine was there when Burt arrived.

"Teacher work day at Dalton," Blaine explained. He wasn't sitting on Kurt's bed or touching Kurt or even looking at Kurt. He was in the chair in the far corner, sitting sideways with his legs draped over the arm of the chair, writing something in a notebook.

"How is he today?" Burt asked as he headed over to Kurt's bed. Kurt's expression hadn't changed in six weeks. There was still a tube down his throat. His body was still. His heart ached.

"Fine," Blaine said. "He moved earlier. I was talking to him and his hand twitched. The nurse said it was just an involuntary movement though."

Burt nodded. He was quickly learning that it wasn't like Blaine to cling to false hope. Blaine knew it wasn't likely that Kurt would wake up at all by this point. It didn't stop him from just needing to be there.

"I…uh…I got something for you. And him." Burt moved across the room and sat down in the chair beside Blaine's, watching one of the boy's dark eyebrows quirk upwards. Burt reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the two velvet boxes. "I stopped on the way out of Lima and apparently you have a cousin that works in the jewelry profession."

Blaine's other eyebrow shot up to match the other. The rest of his expression remained stoic. It was a face Burt knew all too well from Kurt. He handed over the two boxes and Blaine leaned forward to take them.

"Mr. Hummel…you didn't have to." Blaine opened the boxes and looked at the rings. They weren't as nice as the original rings – which were custom made for Blaine's specifications – but they were the ones he had based them off of.

"I know how much he means to you, and you've already given so much. I figured a little symbol of commitment never hurt anybody," Burt shrugged. Blaine swung his legs off the arm of the chair and stood. He took the ring meant of Kurt and took it over to the hospital bed. Taking Kurt's left hand, he slid the ring on his finger. It fit perfectly.

"The size. It's perfect." Blaine looked over at Burt. He took his own ring and slid it on his finger. It fit too.

"Don't look at me. That guy at the store gave them to me." Burt held his hands up and watched as Blaine looked back down to marvel at the rings.

"Thank you so much," Blaine said. "You'll never know how much this means to me."

Burt didn't quite know what to think of that. He just offered the kid a smile and watched him staring at Kurt in wonder.

. ~ . ~ .

_June 17, 2011_

It was the last day of school for both McKinley and Dalton, and Finn invited Blaine to his end of the school year party at the insistence of both Burt and Carole, as well as most of New Directions. In the last seven weeks, Blaine had become close friends with Mercedes, Rachel, Santana, and Tina, mostly because he was their main source of information on how Kurt was doing.

So when Blaine pulled up in front of the Hudson-Hummel house that afternoon, he was welcomed with hugs from all the girls, and some of the guys. He hadn't been inside the house since before the accident, and he wasn't sure how much he looked forward to it. He knew that Kurt's room was there, preserved for that unknown time in the future when he would presumably wake up and get to come home.

Blaine ate pizza and drank three cans of vanilla Coke and participated in a karaoke competition in which it came down to him and Mercedes. They tied. When some of them moved outside to take advantage of the warm night, Blaine retreated upstairs. Kurt's bedroom door was closed, and he hesitated with his hand on the doorknob. Turning it, he pushed open the door.

It was cold inside. A little stuffy, with the lingering smell of facial cleansers and roses and _Kurt_. The bed was perfectly made, the shelves were dusted, everything was clean. Blaine kept the light off as he stepped inside, running his fingers over the fabric of the comforter on the bed. He made his way into Kurt's closet, seeing all the clothes in there. He wondered what Kurt would think when he woke up. Would he insist on going shopping right away? He already missed out on a new season of fashion. Kurt wouldn't even want to wear these clothes when he woke up!

"Hey, bear." A soft voice startled him and he turned to find Mercedes. He smiled at the nickname she had given him. The girls called Kurt "boo" and so they decided to call him "bear". It was cute and it made him feel loved, accepted.

"Hello," Blaine replied. He glanced over her head to see Rachel and Tina behind her.

"We want to go see him," Mercedes said. "We haven't seen him since before the accident."

Blaine nodded and looked back into the closet and spotted a jacket he'd admired on Kurt a couple of times. He pulled it off the hanger and traded his own jacket for it, finding that despite the size difference between him and Kurt, it fit perfect.

"Looks good, bear," Rachel offered. "You should have it. You know, to remind you of him."

Blaine looked back and smiled at her, buttoning up the navy blue jacket. His eyes drifted closed as the scent that was uniquely Kurt drifted up to meet his nose. It wouldn't be long before it wouldn't smell like Kurt anymore, but for now, he would love it.

. ~ . ~ .

Blaine, Mercedes, Rachel, Tina, Santana, and Puck all excused themselves from the party and thanked the Hummel's for having them in their house, then they piled into Blaine's Lexus. It was cramped, and the drive to Westerville wasn't a short one, but it was worth it. They were mostly quiet, the air filled with nervousness at the opportunity to finally see Kurt.

When they got to the Westerville Hospital, Blaine used his charm to get the group past multiple groups of nurses and orderlies until they got to that narrow hallway of glass doors. Blaine got to Kurt's room and motioned for them to be quiet as they entered, even though they knew it wouldn't be disturbing Kurt.

They all piled into the room slowly, surrounding Kurt's bed, looking down on him in awe. His hair was still short, that alone was a major difference. His cheeks were dark and hollowed around the tube in his throat. His eyelids were tinted dark and his skin was so pale they could almost see right through to the bed.

"He looks so breakable," Mercedes whispered. She stood on the left side of the bed and took Kurt's hand, doing a double take when her fingers brushed the cold metal of the ring. She shot a look over to Blaine, surprised. He'd told her about the ring and how it was lost in the accident.

"His dad," Blaine offered. He showed his own. "He got them both for us."

A sweet moment followed where all six of them surrounded Kurt's bed, taking turns telling him how much they missed him and wanted him to wake up.

"We really miss you, boo," Mercedes said, her eyes glistening with tears. "It's the end of the school year and I missed our annual beginning-of-the-summer shopping trip. You're so pretty sleeping like this though, but you're even prettier when you're awake."

"Nationals sucked without you, Kurt. I'm pretty sure that's why we lost. I only hope you'll be able to come with us next year," Tina said, not looking directly at Kurt like it was too painful.

"I really miss your sarcasm and your criticism of my singing and my wardrobe. No one quite knows how to fire a witty comeback quite like you, and it really makes everything feel dead without you," Rachel said, her voice perfectly even but her eyes tearing up like everyone else's. Then Santana stepped forward and put a careful hand on Kurt's pale arm.

"Look, Kurt, I know we haven't always got along, but you inspire people even when you're practically dead. I guess I decided to learn from it, so last week I told the whole glee club that I play for the other team. Like the actual other team. So I guess I can't tell anymore gay jokes," Santana said with a little laugh. She circled her hand around Kurt's arm and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to will herself not to cry. "I just miss you so fricken much."

Blaine pat her shoulder and was surprised when she curled up into him, hugging him tightly. He comforted, watching as Puck put his hand on Kurt's shoulder softly and just stared at him.

"I wanna apologize properly, Kurt. For all the slushies and the dumpster dives and that time I locked you in the port-a-potty and the pee balloons and the lawn furniture on the roof and writing homo all over your locker in the locker room," Puck spoke quickly, never removing his hand from Kurt's shoulder. "I guess I was just jealous that you were so confident, even though we tried to break your spirit. You never deserved any of it. And I really miss you too."

Santana turned to hug Puck, sobbing into his shoulder.

Blaine was touched by how much they cared about Kurt, but he knew their words weren't going to make Kurt wake up any sooner. Kurt would wake up when Kurt was ready.

* * *

><p>Let me know what you think :)<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own. Sadly.

A/N: This was unexpected. This whole chapter went exactly how I planned in some ways, but oddly not in others. Hmm... Also the song Blaine sings is called Unstoppable and its written by me. I am by no means a professional song writer.

* * *

><p><em>July 9, 2011<em>

_1:13 PM_

Blaine sat cross-legged in the maroon chair beside Kurt's bed, watching his boyfriend's chest rise and fall with a forced, even rhythm. Ten weeks. Kurt's body had been lying here, lifeless, making an indentation in the hospital bed for _ten weeks_. Blaine was used to Kurt like this by now.

His eyelids drifted closed and he took a deep breath. Kurt was all he had anymore, and even then he was only half there. Blaine leaned over the arm of the chair and unlatched the case of his acoustic guitar. He pushed the case to the side and pulled out the instrument.

Situating himself so the guitar rested carefully on his thigh, he looked down at the strings and situated his fingers. He hadn't played much at all since the accident. The inspiration just wasn't there.

Tipping his head down, Blaine's eyes closed so his eyelashes almost brushed his cheeks. He arranged his fingers on the strings and strummed one chord. He hummed the notes, tuning his voice and the guitar until they were perfect. He took a deep breath and just strummed a few chords. He kept his eyes shut and he hummed.

He'd had the lyrics written for weeks. They weren't good by his standards, but they were true. He just hadn't been able to put a song to them and it was frustrating. But now he was here, with Kurt and his guitar and he was going to do it.

A few random chords turned into a tune. He worked it out until he could play an opening smoothly and effortlessly. Finally, his eyes opened slowly, bringing Kurt's face into view. Kurt's perfect pale face.

With that view, Blaine found himself opening his mouth to sing for the first time since the accident.

"_It was always only you and me  
><em>_Walking down the streets  
><em>_Hand in hand we talked  
><em>_We were unstoppable_

"_The voices that whispered lowly  
><em>_Glances thrown over shoulders  
><em>_The air that grew only colder  
><em>_But you never let it get to you_

"_The beauty of you deep blue eyes  
><em>_It reminds me of the sea  
><em>_The way you looked at me  
><em>_Together we worked perfectly_

"_I tried so hard to figure out  
><em>_What this was, what could it be  
><em>_The only words I could think of  
><em>_Were 'will you always love me?'"_

Blaine strummed a few more notes before letting his hand fall from the guitar. Kurt remained motionless, unlike the single tear that leaked from the corner of one hazel eye.

. ~ . ~ .

Carole and Burt stood outside Kurt's room, looking in as Blaine strummed the guitar. The boy's curly hair was loose and longer than it used to be, hanging down in his face. He was hunched over the instrument, looking in the direction of Kurt. They waited until his lips stopped moving before they opened the door.

"Hey, buddy," Burt said, waving at Blaine. The teen offered him a smile and tucked the guitar back into the case. "What did you sing to him?"

Blaine blushed the tiniest bit.

"Just something I wrote," Blaine confessed. "For Kurt. To tell him how I feel."

"I think you've done a fine job of that," Carole said. She exchanged a bouquet of flowers on the table by the door for a fresh one that she brought.

"I think that music stuff helps," Burt said, taking a seat on the opposite side of Kurt's bed as Blaine. "I was here the other day and I played him some of that Broadway crap he likes and he seemed, I don't know, relaxed."

"Yeah," Blaine said. "Anything helps, I suppose."

The three of them exchanged looks as an uncomfortable silence followed. They were all losing faith.

"Blaine?" Carole asked suddenly as she moved closer to Kurt's bed. "Honey, why are there suitcases behind you?"

Blaine lowered his head and stared at the floor. His hands were clasped in his lap. There were two plain black suitcases behind him, hastily packed with clothes, books, sheet music, and his laptop. His most important possessions.

He'd been carrying them and his guitar around for three days.

"That's my stuff," Blaine offered, his voice almost inaudible.

"But _why_ is it here?" Carole pressed a little harder, trying to dig a little deeper.

"Because I need to keep it with me," Blaine snapped. He didn't want to talk about it. He'd already told Kurt all about it. He didn't need to repeat it.

"Blaine," Burt said seriously. "What happened?"

"Nothing!" Blaine snapped. "Nothing happened, ok? I just…I just turned eighteen a couple days ago and I decided that I couldn't stay at home anymore."

The two older adults looked at him as though they were shocked to hear this. As far as they knew, Blaine had been privileged in his home. The Anderson family obviously had money that the Hummel's did not. With the exception of the day of the accident where Carole witnessed a scared and alone Blaine, neither of them had reason to suspect anything wrong.

"If you ever need anything," Burt said. "_Anything_."

Blaine smiled a small smile and looked up. He tucked a few stray curls behind his ear, revealing darkening bruise around his eye. The sharp intakes of breath overpowered Blaine's whispered, "Thank you."

. ~ . ~ .

_Three days earlier_

_July 6, 2011_

_7:10 PM_

"I hope you had a happy birthday, dearest," Carla Anderson said as she put a piece of German chocolate cake – Blaine's favorite – in front of him. He smiled at his mother and took the offered fork to dive into his cake. His mother always treated him well on birthdays. They were, after all, the joyous day he had been brought into her world.

"Thank you," Blaine said around a mouthful of the moist desert. He was allowed to enjoy it for a moment only before his father joined them in the dining room.

"Well son, you're eighteen now. That means you can stop all this teenage experimentation nonsense and buckle down. You've got one year of high school left and I expect you to apply yourself at Dalton so you can get into Princeton, like the rest of the respectable Anderson men." Jack stood above his son, looking down at him as though trying to intimidate him.

"What exactly does that mean?" Blaine asked, not trying to be smart.

"It means that it's time to move on from this Kurt boy you think you like and find yourself a proper girlfriend," Jack said sternly.

Blaine dropped his fork, letting it clatter against the plate. So they were going to have _this_ conversation again.

"How many times do I have to tell you? I. Do not. Like. Girls." Blaine spoke clearly, his voice angry. He found himself feeling very brave all of a sudden.

"Yes you do. Every man likes the feel of a woman's body in his arms," his father insisted. "It's only natural."

"Well I happen to prefer the feel of Kurt's body in my arms," Blaine snapped in reply. "If that makes me less of a man, then so be it."

"It doesn't make you less of a man, son. It makes him a woman," Jack growled. "And _that_ is unnatural."

Before Blaine could control him, he pushed himself out of the chair and shoved his considerably smaller frame towards his father as hard as he could. He knocked the older man back a few steps, but Jack managed to recover enough to shove Blaine off of him.

When Blaine regained his balance, he looked up at his father with narrowed eyes.

"Kurt is more of a man than you'll _ever_ be," Blaine said, surprisingly calm.

A slap echoed in the room and Blaine's head jerked to the side, his cheek stinging. It took him a moment to figure out what happened, but when he realized his father had struck him, he was _pissed off_.

"Jack! He's your son. You can't hit him," Carla was saying from somewhere in the background.

"No son of mine is going to be a faggot," Jack shouted, advancing on Blaine. He took Blaine's red shirt in his fists and slammed him against the side of the table. "No son of mine is going to do the disgusting things that fags do to each other."

"Then I guess I'm not your son," Blaine managed to say.

The pain exploded across half his face when Jack's large fist made contact with his eye. He cried out, mostly in surprise. He braced himself for another punch, anticipating his father to let the pain of the first one settle before multiplying it with another blow.

None came though, and eventually his father released the fist in his shirt.

"Half an hour," Jack said. "You have half an hour to pack your things and get the hell out of my house. And don't even think of taking that car either. Give me your credit card before you leave, and I hope your crippled boyfriend can support you because I'm not paying for you to go to that damn private school any longer."

Blaine only took ten minutes before he was gone.

. ~ . ~ .

_July 9, 2011_

_4:42 PM_

Burt wouldn't give Blaine a choice. He was coming to live with them. After everything Blaine had done to help Kurt, it was the least they could do. Blaine had tried to refuse, saying he didn't deserve the Hummel's hospitality. He was looking for a job in Westerville and he'd stay in a hotel when he got one.

"No," Burt had said in all seriousness. "You'll stay with us."

So there Blaine was, following Burt and trailed by Carole into their house. The living room was noisy. Some sports game was on and Finn and Puck were cheering loudly. Burt took Blaine's suitcases and set them at the foot of the stairs while Carole nudged him towards the living room. As they entered, the other boys looked up, Finn looking surprised.

"Oh, hey Blaine!" Finn said, smiling a little. Finn hadn't really smiled a ton since the accident. He missed his step-brother, especially after he vowed to protect him like he had.

"Blaine's going to be staying with us for a while," Carole announced, her hands on Blaine's shoulders, squeezing comfortingly. Burt stood on his other side, hands in the pockets of his faded jeans.

"That's cool," Finn shrugged. "We can go if you wanna set up the couch or something."

"No, it's ok," Burt said. "He's staying in Kurt's room."

Blaine looked up at Burt, surprised. He'd been expecting to sleep on the couch or a mattress on the floor or something. He couldn't take Kurt's room. Even for him, it was too much like Kurt wouldn't be coming back. Burt seemed to sense this was the common feeling from everyone else in the house, even Puck, so he explained.

"To be honest, if Kurt were here and you needed a place to stay, we all know he would come up with some reason to get me to let you sleep up there with him," Burt shrugged. He knew that if that were the case, he would be far more hesitant, but putting it like that made at least Finn and Carole ease back a bit. Blaine was still a little shocked.

"Mr. Hummel, Burt, I don't think I could do it. I mean…it's Kurt's space," Blaine said, trying to find a reason to express why he felt he couldn't stay in Kurt's room. He didn't want to tell them it was because staying up there without Kurt, living in that room like it was his own, was all too final.

"And Kurt would want you to share it," Burt said sternly. "Now go on upstairs and make yourself at home. Kurt's bathroom is yours too. If you get hungry or thirsty or need _anything_, just help yourself."

Blaine just looked at him blankly for a moment before nodding and heading to the stairs. As he slung his guitar case over his shoulder and reached for his suitcases, he was surprised when another hand closed around the handle of one suitcase. Blaine looked up to see Finn there, towering above him.

"Thanks," Blaine said. He briefly remembered Kurt telling him of one of his drunken escapades at the Rachel Berry House Party Train Wreck Extravaganza, when he draped his arm around Finn's shoulders and announced that he was "so tall!".

Finn followed him upstairs to Kurt's room. He hesitated at the door before pushing it open. His heart ached at once. It was all Kurt in there. Kurt's scent. His presence. Everything about Kurt. He set his suitcase at the foot of the bed – Kurt's bed that he was going to sleep in – and jumped when Finn turned on the light.

"It's funny," Finn said. "I'm pretty sure I never thought I'd miss Kurt's voice this much."

Blaine smirked and shed walked around the room, looking at the shelves and pausing at Kurt's desk to see notes for a math test, a composition notebook labeled "U.S. History", and a purple notebook with a giant heart on the front that said "Kurt + Blaine". It was just as Kurt had left it the day of the accident.

"It's like once you're used to hearing it, you can't live without it," Blaine said.

"Yeah," Finn agreed. "That's it."

There was a moment of silence as Blaine looked over a few bottles of lotion he'd left behind when he gathered Kurt's moisturizers a few weeks before. There was a box of matches and a half burned raspberry candle on Kurt's nightstand, and everything just smelled so good.

"Dude," Finn said suddenly. Blaine almost forgot he was standing there. He turned around enough to look at Finn. "What are we gonna do if he doesn't wake up?"

Blaine's throat clenched and his eyes burned with unwanted tears. He asked himself that question every day.

"I don't know," Blaine managed to say. He turned back to survey Kurt's things. "I imagine we'll enjoy our summer. I'll be trying to get a job now that I'm not living at home anymore. You'll have fun with your friends. Then we'll go back to school next year and sing in glee club. We'll win Nationals because Rachel and I will do a stunning duet that will take everyone's breath away. As we accept our trophy, we'll thank Kurt for giving us courage. Then we'll graduate and go to college and you'll meet a nice girl and get married midway through. I'll go off to work in movies or something and meet a nice guy, fool around a bit, but it'll never be enough because I'll always be in love with Kurt. Then we'll live our lives and eventually Kurt won't be able to hold on anymore and we'll get a phone call that he's gone, and then we won't have to burden ourselves with painful thoughts of him in the back of our minds."

He hadn't really thought those words would come tumbling out of his mouth, but it's what he imagined every time he wondered that question. Blaine looked back up at Finn, who had backed into the doorway.

"Oh," Finn said. He looked down at his feet uncomfortably, as if to hide the fact there were tears in his eyes.

"Just…just don't think about it that much," Blaine said. Then he turned to Finn and clasped his hands in front of him. "Do you know if the Lima Bean is hiring?"

Finn shook his head and back out of the room, bounding down the stairs with heavy feet. Blaine let out a heavy sigh and began to unbutton his shirt, deciding he better turn in early if he was to start searching for a job the next day. He didn't want to overstay his welcome at the Hudson-Hummel house.

"You can come work at my shop if you want." Burt took over Finn's spot in the doorway. Blaine shrugged. He liked cars, sure, but Burt was already so nice to him.

"I-I don't know," Blaine said. It felt strange to be undressing in front of Kurt's father, so he buttoned a few buttons back up.

"I'll tell you what," Burt said. "Rent around here is…say…fifty bucks a week. Anything you make more than that you keep."

Blaine considered the offer for a moment, then decided it was good and fair. Not only would he be working for his stay here, he'd hopefully make a little extra money.

"Sounds good," Blaine said. "Thanks, Burt."

"No problem," Burt said. "And anytime you wanna go see Kurt you just tell me, ok? I don't care when. In the middle of the night, in the middle of the day, halfway through your shift. Just let me know."

Blaine smiled at that, nodding and hopefully sending a look at Burt that expressed how grateful he was for the generosity of their entire family. His boyfriend's family. A family that loved him and cared for him.

"Get some rest, kiddo. Tomorrow I'll show you around the shop." Burt gave him one last nod and closed the door, leaving Blaine alone.

A soft sigh escaped Blaine's lips and he stripped himself down to his boxers. He pulled out a pair of pajama pants from his suitcase and went back over to Kurt's desk. He picked up the purple notebook with "Kurt + Blaine" doodled on the cover. He flipped it open and smiled at the sight of Kurt's adorable illustrated handwriting. He dotted eyes with hearts, ending words with a flourish, began sentences with grand capital letters, and sometimes drew little smiley faces inside some letters. It was all very dramatic, just like Kurt.

He flipped a couple pages in, and realized it was poetry. Love poems, to be exact. All of them described someone with dark hair and golden eyes and a charming smile. They all spoke of Blaine without actually saying Blaine's name.

One page had a key taped to it. It looked like it had been lifted up countless times to remove the key, but the sight of it peaked Blaine's curiosity. He glanced around the room for something the key could open, and he spotted a small white box on a shelf of books. He carefully peeled up the tape and took the key, not for a second questioning whether it was all right to invade Kurt's secrets.

He found the box and was pleased when the key fit perfectly. He opened it up and found a handful of crumpled, worn papers and a homemade CD in a slim case. He set the box on the desk and pulled out the CD. Putting in the CD player, he turned volume so only he could hear and waited.

A soft guitar played and soon Kurt's voice filled his ears. Blaine gasped at the sound of it, letting tears fall freely from his eyes as he put his hand over his pounding heart.

"_Sing a song sweet music man_

'_cause I won't be there to _

_Hold your hand like I used to_

_I'm through with you_

"_You're a hell of a singer_

_And a powerful man_

_But you surround yourself with people_

_Who demand so little of you_

"_You touched my soul with your beautiful song_

_You even had me singing along right with you_

_You said 'I need you'"_

The singing and the guitar stopped and then Kurt's soft, nervous laugh sounded before Kurt's speaking voice came from the speakers.

"Damn you, Blaine Anderson. All the days I just sit here and wish I could tell you how much I love you. How perfect you are. How you're _my_ sweet music man," Kurt said. He sounded like he was crying and it made Blaine cry. He wondered how long ago this was made, but his question was answered quickly. "It's Valentine's Day and all you want it so sing to someone else and it makes me so damn angry because you don't even know you're doing anything wrong."

After a minute of shuffling sounds, Kurt let out a huff and said, "Fuck. I recorded that."

Then the disc came to a halt in the player and no more sound came out.

Blaine replayed it three more times, then tucked it back in the box and didn't even read the notes inside. He placed the box back on the shelf, then flipped the light off before climbing into Kurt's bed. He held his breath at first, letting his body get comfortable under the blankets that had covered Kurt's body at night. His heart skipped at the thought that he was lying in Kurt's bed, his face buried in Kurt's pillow.

It was almost like having Kurt wrapped around him.

He slept better than he had since the accident.

. ~ . ~ .

_July 10, 2011_

_7:15 AM_

Blaine got up early that morning, at first disoriented until he remembered the day before. He smiled into Kurt's pillow, more than a little disappointed when he realized that like every day before, Kurt wasn't there.

He shrugged on a t-shirt and crept out of Kurt's room slowly. Across the hall was Kurt's bathroom, where he splashed water on his face and looked at his eye in the mirror. It was still bruised pretty bad and hurt when he touched it, but it was a small price to pay. He wouldn't have to deal with his parents anymore.

After relieving himself and washing his hands, he headed downstairs to see about something to eat. Burt, Carole, and Finn were all upstairs sleeping still, so he decided that he could make them all breakfast.

He rummaged around in the refrigerator and pulled out some eggs, cheese, and ham and set it on the counter. He kicked the door shut just as the phone began to ring loudly. He let it ring a couple times before he realized no one was stirring upstairs. Figuring it couldn't hurt, he plucked the cordless phone off its charger and held it to his ear.

"Hummel residence," he said, mirroring how Kurt answered it so many times before.

"Hello, this is Dr. Long from Westerville Hospital," a deep voice said through the fuzzy line. Blaine felt choked up for a minute. He'd imagined this phone call. The one that said Kurt was gone. "I have some news about Kurt."

Blaine didn't respond. How could he? Surely he was calling to let them know Kurt was dead.

"About twenty minutes ago, Kurt regained consciousness. He's awake."

* * *

><p>Review and let me know what you think<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own. Sadface.

A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers who reviewed the last chapter! I warn you: Have tissues handy. They will be good tears...I hope...

* * *

><p>Blaine thanked Dr. Long calmly and hung up, setting the phone back in the cradle. He gripped the edge of the counter, letting the news sink in. Kurt was awake. Kurt, who he'd taken care of for ten weeks. Kurt, whose face he had moisturized and shaven. Whose hands he'd applied lotion to. Who he'd written songs for and whose bedside he'd slept by when he had nowhere else to turn.<p>

Awake.

"Blaine, honey, who was on the phone?" Carole appeared in the kitchen in a blue robe draped over her pajamas. She yawned and paused when she saw the look on his face. He was shocked, golden eyes wide, lips parted, knuckles white from gripping the countertop so hard.

"D-Dr. Long," Blaine answered, his voice barely audible. He turned his head to look at Carole, who was worried. Blaine knew she was thinking the same thing that he had. That Kurt was dead.

"Kurt's awake."

For a moment, all was silent as Carole mirrored his shocked looked. Then suddenly the house was bursting with noise and pounding footsteps and Carole shouting up the stairs as she ran to wake her husband up.

"Burt! Burt, get out of bed!" Carole cried out. Blaine followed her, feet pounding up the stairs. Breakfast was forgotten in the kitchen as Carole ran down the hallway. As Blaine reached the top of the stairs, Finn was coming out of his room, looking confused.

"What's going on?" Finn asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Kurt's awake," Blaine replied.

"What?" Finn suddenly looked awake. Without giving Blaine time to answer, he went back into his room and stumbled to find clean clothes to put on.

Feet were heavy on the floor as everyone went to their respective rooms. Drawers clunked open as people rummaged for clean clothes. Doors slammed as they hurried in and out of bathrooms. Finn was still tying his tennis shoe and Blaine didn't bother to comb his hair as they all rushed down the stairs. There was no talking, no wondering what they were doing or where they were going. Burt and Carole met the teenagers at the foot of the stairs. Carole deviated from the path to the front door only long enough to grab a box of granola bars to eat on the way – no one was hungry anyway, their stomachs churning from nerves – and four bottles of water.

Burt took the keys to Carole's car and the four of them piled into it.

The ride to Westerville was silent.

. ~ . ~ .

_July 10, 2011_

_8:32 AM_

When they got to Kurt's room, there was a team of doctors surrounding his bed. Nurse Kathryn kept them outside, knowing all they wanted to do was see Kurt, talk to Kurt, and tell Kurt how much they missed him. The blinds were closed and they couldn't even see into the room. Blaine was the first to notice the look on Nurse Kathryn's face. It wasn't a good look.

"Why can't we see him?" Burt asked impatiently.

"They're testing him right now," Nurse Kathryn said. "Just a few routine tests. I found him at six fifty-five this morning and he was awake. They took the breathing tube out of his throat an hour ago when it appeared as though he was breathing normally on his own. We're just waiting for Dr. Long to give him the clear before you can see him."

There was something she knew that she wasn't telling them. Blaine could see that. He itched to call her on it, but instead his bit his bottom lip and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Blaine distracted himself by looking at Finn, who just stared at the floor, wearing a confused look that was reminiscent of a constipated infant.

"Should we just wait here, or should we go to a waiting room?" Carole asked, hugging Burt tightly around the waist to try and absorb some of his impatient tension. The older man's lips were drawn into a thin line and his eyes were focused only on the door that blocked him from his son. All he cared about was seeing Kurt.

"You can just wait here. It shouldn't be too much longer," Nurse Kathryn assured them. She smiled unconvincingly and retreated back into the room.

The four of them stood outside the door, exchanging nervous, awkward looks in anticipation of the moment they'd all been waiting ten weeks for. Blaine looked over at Burt. He wanted to say something to the older man who'd given him more support than his own parents in the last ten minutes, but Burt was solely focused on Kurt.

Finn nudged Blaine in the side, making the shorter boy look up at him, irritated.

"Dude, what are we gonna do if he doesn't remember us?" Finn asked. Blaine looked away. He didn't want to think about that ever. Kurt would remember him. He was sure of it.

But what if he didn't?

What if Kurt forgot everything? Their soft, love-filled first kisses that day at Dalton. Sitting too close in the Warblers practice room, wondering if it would be inappropriate to hold hands. Stolen kisses outside in the parking lot before Kurt made the long trek back home to Lima so he could be with his family in the evening. Sitting in the back seat of Kurt's navigator, soft hands under Blaine's t-shirt and Blaine's hands cupping Kurt's cheeks, the interior of the car feeling warmer than any climate control could make it.

He couldn't think of Kurt losing all those precious memories. It wasn't fair. In the grand scheme of things, the time they had together as a couple was nothing. It had been less than the ten weeks

Kurt spent lying in that hospital bed.

But how could Kurt forget it? It had been the most wonderful time of their lives. It was the beginning of something big, something that would last until they died. Kurt and Blaine were soul mates. Kurt would never forget.

Blaine was sure.

No amount of brain damage could come between them.

"I don't know," Blaine ended up saying.

Finn seemed to accept that answer and looked back down at the floor.

An awkward moment passed that was made even more tense by Burt's declaration of, "I just wanna see my son. Is that too much to freakin' ask?"

Then, as if answering Burt's question, the door slid open and Dr. Long stepped out of Kurt's room. He looked grim. That was not a good sign. Blaine's heart pounded in his chest in anticipation of whatever news he had to tell them. Carole must've sensed his reaction. She reached over and wrapped her hand around his arm, sliding it down to hold his hand. He squeezed it, feeling the comforting warmth. It felt better than even holding his own mother's hand simply because it was there for him when he needed it. He unconsciously moved closer to Carole.

"How is he?" Burt asked, trying to look in Kurt's room again. They were pushed forward a little as the rest of the doctors filed out of the room. When they were down the hallway, Dr. Long returned his solemn look to them.

"He's awake, but only just," he began. Burt let out a pained noise and Carole squeezed Blaine's hand hard. Blaine stared at the doctor, his expression emotionless.

"So like…he's really tired?" Finn asked. Blaine almost smiled at Finn's overwhelming innocence. Or stupidity. He couldn't tell which one right now. Not that he cared.

"He's awake, but he's nonresponsive," Dr. Long said. "What that means is that we haven't been able to get him to speak or acknowledge our presence. His eyes are open, he's blinking, he's breathing on his own, but he hadn't moved or tried to move. We'll have to run tests, but for now you can go in and see him. Just be prepared for him to not recognize you."

They all nodded and finally, _finally_ the doctor stepped aside. Burt pushed the sliding door open as fast as he could, abandoning the other three in the hallway in a hurried effort to get to his son. Blaine followed quickly after, waiting until he was at Kurt's bedside to fully look at him.

When he finally did, it was _awful_.

Kurt's chapped lips were parted as his jaw hung slack. His chest rose and fell in a less even and controlled rhythm than when the machines were running it. He stared straight ahead, clouded blue eyes unfocused on the wall on the other side of the room. He didn't look at any of them directly. There wasn't any evidence that he even noticed they'd entered the room.

"Oh, Kurt," Carole spoke first. "Kurt, honey, you're awake."

She was crying. Burt was crying. Finn was crying. Blaine wasn't crying. Blaine was shocked. Kurt had more life in him when he was comatose. Each time he blinked, Blaine knew it was only because it was an automatic reflex when his eyes sensed they were getting dry.

"Kurt, son, it's me. It's your dad," Burt said. He kneeled beside Kurt's bed and leaned his forehead on the mattress. He put his hand on Kurt's arm, but Kurt didn't react. His eyes didn't even move. His jaw stayed slack.

_Oh god, what if he's like this forever?_

Blaine backed away from Kurt. He loved Kurt more than anything, but he wasn't sure he could handle watching Kurt be like this for the rest of their lives. He just couldn't do it. Suddenly, Blaine glanced at Kurt's tearful family and realized that he wasn't family. He was just the boyfriend. The person who Kurt gave up time to be with outside of the family. This wasn't his place.

"I-I don't belong here," Blaine said. He turned away from Kurt's bed and no matter how much it tore his heart to pieces, he walked away. With each step, a strip of his heart was ripped from his chest, pushing him closer to that unbearable wall of pain that made people do stupid, stupid things.

But then he heard it.

He wasn't the only one.

_Everyone heard it_.

He froze, squeezing his eyes shut, unable to believe the sound that met his ears. For the moment that it happened, all other sounds in the room disappeared. There were no footsteps, no heavy breathing, no quiet sobbing, no beeping heart rate monitors. Just that sound.

It was soft, strangled, and barely there.

Blaine turned around slowly, trembling as he held his breath. Tears burned his eyes as he finally faced Kurt's bed. He focused on Kurt's mouth, it was moving slightly. Those clouded blue eyes were looking right at him, still unfocused, but aimed in his direction. Kurt's mouth bobbed open and closed, open and closed, trying to say something. After a minute of trying, he managed to force sound out into one single, distinguishable word.

"_Blaine._"

He crumbled. He made it to Kurt's bedside just before collapsing to his knees, his hands grasping Kurt's in his as he cried, thanking any deity that had listened to him those past ten weeks. Kurt was back! Kurt was here, with him, and he remembered him. All those pieces of Blaine's heart that had peeled away were slowly being stitched back together and suddenly it didn't hurt so badly.

"Kurt, I love you so much." Blaine pressed his cheek against the back of Kurt's pale hand. He looked up through tear-filled eyes, looked up to see Kurt's unfocused eyes pointing towards him. He didn't try to say anything else. He just looked at Blaine.

But it was enough.

They all sat there, crying at this little bit of evidence that Kurt was in there somewhere. Blaine was so happy that Kurt remembered him that he didn't see the look on Burt's face.

It was not a good one.

. ~ . ~ .

_July 13, 2011_

_9:31 AM_

Things were suddenly very tense in the Hudson-Hummel house. No one wanted to go home that day, but it hadn't taken more than an hour before he reverted back to staring blankly at the wall as if they weren't there. The doctors said there was a lot of work to be done and suggested they go home and get some rest.

The drive back to the house had been quiet, and it had been quite for three days since then. Blaine felt uncomfortable in Kurt's room, so he split his time between the couch and the back porch. Finn was locked in his room blaring classic rock as monstrous levels, Carole busied herself around the house, and Burt spent fourteen hours a day working at the shop.

Blaine got tired of sitting around thinking of that moment of hearing Kurt's voice again. He wanted to go see Kurt again, but quite frankly he was _scared _to asked Burt if he could drive any one of his vehicles.

Because Burt had just been…well…_angry_ since Kurt woke up.

Not knowing whether it was boredom, bravery, or the need to do something other than sit around, Blaine found himself that Wednesday morning outside of Hummel Tires and Lube. He entered the shop and found Burt bent over the engine of a 1964 Thunderbird.

"Burt?" Blaine asked before he got too close, trying not to startle the older man. Burt looked up and when he spotted Blaine, he got that same unhappy look he'd been sporting since the day Kurt woke up.

"Oh. Hi, Blaine," Burt said. He bent back over the engine of the car and kept working.

"You know, I was supposed to start working here," Blaine said. "You needed help, remember?"

"I still do," Burt said. "You can start right now. Hand me that towel over there."

"Can I ask what I did wrong? You've been treating me different ever since Kurt woke up." Blaine got him the towel he asked for and set it in Burt's outstretched hand. Burt didn't reply right away. He kept working on whatever he was working on, as though Blaine wasn't even there.

Then, he stood up straight and set the wrench in his hand and the towel aside, then turned to Blaine, who waited patiently for an answer.

"I wait ten weeks for my son, _my son_, to wake up and all he can do is stare at you. What am I supposed to do? He's my world. He has been for seventeen years. What if he doesn't remember me? What if he only remembers you because you spent all that time with him? Or because you were the last one to see him before the accident? I can't help but wonder if maybe my son will never be back all the way, and some part of me is bitter because _you _of all people got to see the Kurt we all knew and loved last," Burt said, speaking truthfully, from his heart. His words hurt Blaine a little, but he had a point. Burt was Kurt's father. He had a right to want Kurt to know him, to see him, to recognize him.

"I'm sorry," Blaine said. He maintained steady eye contact with the older man, showing he wasn't weak and he wasn't going to back down. "I love Kurt. I loved him then. I loved him when he was asleep. I love him now. I will love him six months from now. I will love him fifty years from now. I don't want to take him from you, but it's obvious I have a place in Kurt's heart and instead of being bitter about it, maybe you should encourage Kurt to love. Some progress is better than no progress, isn't it?"

Burt's lips were pulled into a straight line and he turned away. He picked through tools on a table for a long time before finding the right one and selecting if carefully. Bending back over the engine, he began to work. When he finally did speak, each of his words were punctuated with a twist of the wrench in his tight grasp.

"You hurt my son, you know." Burt worked a little while longer in silence before elaborating.

"On Valentine's Day, you crushed his heart. Then you went to that party and you kissed that girl. That hurt him so much. I can't stand to see my kid hurting. That's why it was so hard for me to visit him some of those days in the hospital. Just when I thought Kurt couldn't be hurt by you anymore, you make him lose hope that he'd ever find someone who wanted to be with him romantically."

Blaine refused to cry. He'd thought about all those things many times. He thought about how stupid he was for attempting to be bi-curious. He thought about the hurt look in Kurt's eyes when he told him he wasn't sexy. He'd been trying to make it up to Kurt since then, but it still stood that those things happened.

"And now you're here, holding a piece of my son's heart – more fragile than ever – in your hand. He's put so much of himself into whatever this is with you. Tell me, man to man, that you wouldn't have the same concern if he were your son," Burt told him. He stood up straight again and looked him in the eye, his gaze making Blaine feel weak and small in comparison.

"You don't have to be scared for Kurt," Blaine said. "Let me take care of that. All you have to do is be there for him for when he does remember you."

"I'm sorry. I don't think I can do that," Burt said, bending back over the car.

"Why not?" Blaine questioned, stepping forward, surprising himself even by the harshness of his voice. Burt straightened up yet again and faced Blaine, looking serious this time. "I've sacrificed everything to be with Kurt! I left my home, my family, my friends, my school, all because I knew that above all that, I wanted a life with Kurt. In a couple years, when Kurt is recovered and better and ready to move out, he'll need someone out there to help him. You can't be there for him forever. You need to trust someone else with him!"

Burt looked stunned for a moment by Blaine's bravery and brutal honesty. This was new. Blaine was always so polite, so dapper, always trying so hard to be on Burt's good side. Now, he didn't care if he was on Burt's good side. He just needed to show that all he cared about was Kurt.

"I just need you to see that I need your son as much as you do," Blaine pleaded, his tone softening considerably.

"I do see that," Burt said after a minute.

"Then can you stop looking at me like everything is my fault?" Blaine asked, hating how broken he sounded.

"Yeah," Burt said. He nodded once and softened his furrowed brow. "Yeah. I can."

Then he bent over the car and continued working.

. ~ . ~ .

_July 14, 2011_

_2:16 PM_

Kurt was awake when Blaine got there. His look was the same as Blaine settled beside his bed.

He stared straight ahead at the wall with unfocused eyes.

"Hey, Kurt," Blaine said. He leaned over and kissed Kurt's cheek. Still no response. He sat beside Kurt's bed and popped open his guitar case. Settling the instrument on his thigh, he absentmindedly strummed a few chords while looking at Kurt's beautiful, vacant face.

"Everyone misses you," Blaine said. "Everyone from New Directions wants to see you again. Your dad said maybe when you start to talk a little more. Mercedes misses you. A lot. We all do, really."

He hummed a long for a moment as he strummed more chords. It sounded vaguely like a slowed down tune of Silly Love Songs. Kurt didn't seem to recognize it.

Blaine stopped playing and set the guitar aside. He propped one arm on the side of the bed and laced his fingers of the other hand with Kurt's hand. His finger brushed the cold metal of the ring and it made him smile.

"I love you, Kurt," Blaine said.

It was silence and stillness for the next few moments. And then Kurt squeezed his hand.

* * *

><p>Drop me a review and let me know what you think!<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I apologize in advance for this chapter. I promise in the next chapter there will be a very sweet Klaine scene...I hope. And some good Burt/Blaine moments too.

* * *

><p><em>July 20, 2011<em>

_12:31 PM_

Blaine had been working at Hummel Tires and Lube for a week, and it was hard damn work. He was used to just having everything handed to him because his parents had money, but now he had to work for it. He wanted to work for his stay at the Hudson-Hummel house, but he also had a lot to save for. He would need a car, clothes, and he needed to save money for when Kurt got out of the hospital and they wanted to find some place to live together. Blaine had planned a future with Kurt, and he wanted to do everything to build that life. He even considered not returning to high school at all for his senior year so he could work full time.

That was, of course, not an option according to several people.

Burt and Carole had urged him to enroll in McKinley, and Finn had told him it didn't matter about the bullies anymore because Azimio and Karofsky – the worst of the bunch – had graduated.

It had been Mercedes, Tina, and Rachel that convinced him to join them for their final year of high school. They'd been planning to meet him for lunch since they found out Kurt was awake. As soon as they arrived, he told Burt he was heading out for lunch and he'd be back in half an hour, but Mercedes had other ideas.

"Mr. Hummel, would you mind if we kidnapped Blaine for the rest of the afternoon?" Mercedes asked politely. She linked arms with Blaine on one side and Rachel appeared on his other side. Burt looked at them skeptically for a moment. Their relationship was still strained, but Burt was slowly coming to terms with the fact that Blaine was in fact a large part of his life because of Kurt. While Burt _had_ to be there for Kurt, Blaine _chose_ to be there for Kurt. Burt respected the younger man's choice.

"Sure," Burt shrugged in the end. The girls let out simultaneous screams of happiness and barely gave Blaine time to change from his coveralls to his regular clothes, standing impatiently in the doorway of the back office tapping their feet.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Blaine asked, amused.

"Just hurry up, bear. We got business," Mercedes said. He tugged on his baggy shorts and slipped his feet into a pair of flip flops. His summer attire was decidedly casual, even for him. He was sure dressing awful by Kurt's standards would warrant some kind of comment from his boyfriend one of these days.

"Business doing what?" Blaine let out a small squeak as they jerked him out of the office and out towards the car Mercedes had borrowed from her mom. Rachel and Tina sat in the back and let Blaine sit in the front and took off before he could ask any more questions.

"We're not going to lunch are we?" Blaine asked when he realized Mercedes was driving out of Lima instead of into town.

"We're going to see Kurt," Mercedes said, in all seriousness. Blaine's face fell. He wanted to tell her to stop the car. Right now. Turn around and stay in Lima and stop thinking about seeing Kurt.

"I don't think he's ready," Blaine said hesitantly, looking out the window.

"I don't believe that for a second," Tina snapped from the backseat.

"We know you, bear. You just wanna keep him for yourself," Rachel added. Blaine scowled at this comment. Of course he wanted to keep Kurt for himself. He'd visited Kurt every day since he woke up and he only seemed to make progress when Blaine was there.

"I'm sorry. He just…he won't even look at his dad, so why would we make this any harder on him by pressuring him?" Blaine didn't mean to sound as hostile as he did, but he wanted Kurt's recovery to happen without pressure. If Kurt remembered him, he'd surely remember everyone else in time.

"No way my boo won't remember me," Mercedes said. She glanced over at Blaine quickly before looking back at the road. Blaine scowled unhappily, knowing that when Mercedes wanted to do something, she was going to do it. But when she realized how much this upset Blaine, she softened her expression. "Look bear, we won't stay long. I promise. We just want to see him because we love him so much."

It took Blaine a moment to respond, but when he turned away from the window to look at each of the girls in turn, he knew it would be ok to grant them this moment with Kurt. And just maybe they might get Kurt to do or say something.

The rest of the drive consisted of Rachel, Mercedes, and Tina trying to get Blaine to sing with them. He refused, too tired from work and worrying about Kurt to engage in their merriment for the moment.

When they arrived at the Westerville Hospital, he took them inside and they followed him to Kurt's room. He had been moved from the glass hallway to a different, more private room with solid walls. The door was closed, as it usually was. Blaine knew there was no one there now – Finn was with Puck, Burt was at the shop, and Carole was grocery shopping – which meant there was a possibility Kurt might be sleeping.

"He might be asleep, so be quiet," he told the girls. They nodded obediently and followed him through the white painted door.

Kurt looked impossibly small in his bed. He didn't look up when they entered, but he was awake. He stared down at the bed, his chin touching his chest. His fingers were fisted tightly in the blankets on either side of him, as if he were concentrating really hard on something to the point of becoming frustrated. Blaine motioned for the girls to stay where they were for the moment.

He approached Kurt's bed slowly, reaching out to touch the edge of it as he moved closer. Kurt didn't look up or acknowledge that he knew Blaine was there until Blaine trailed his fingertips over Kurt's fisted hand.

Kurt gasped at the contact and tipped his head up just a bit. He loosed his grip on the sheets and moved his hand to grasp Blaine's. There was a small sniffle from where the girls stood, but Kurt didn't seem to notice. Blaine pulled a chair up beside Kurt's bed so he was sitting lower than Kurt. He ducked his head down a bit to try to look Kurt in the eye, which didn't prove to be an easy task.

"Hey," Blaine said softly. There was a small smile tugging at Kurt's lips that only he could see. This was only the fourth time Kurt had smiled since waking up. The first time had been for Blaine, then for Blaine and Carole, then for Burt, and now for Blaine again.

"H-Hi," Kurt whispered softly.

"I missed you," Blaine said. He ducked his head down and pressed a kiss to the back of Kurt's hand. "I wanted to come yesterday but your dad had me working hard at the shop today."

Kurt looked confused again and did not respond. His grip tightened on Blaine's hand and it was almost painful. Blaine would never let go.

"Kurt, some of your friends are here. Mercedes and Tina and Rachel. They wanted to see you," Blaine said softly. Kurt's brow furrowed and his throat worked for a moment, then he picked his head up just enough so his eyes could dart over to where the girls stood. The effort of holding his head up seemed too much, and he let it drop back do he was looking down at Blaine.

Mercedes decided to move closer, moving towards the other side of Kurt's bed. She stood cautiously next to her best friend and looked down at him, taking in the sight of his frail body and short, untamed hair.

"Hey boo," she said softly.

It was quiet for a moment before she spoke again.

"I wanted to see you. I miss shopping with you," she said. This seemed to peak his interest. He slowly moved his head to look at her, and she was surprised at the dullness in his eyes.

"Cedes," he said.

At the sound of his hoarse voice, ragged from not being used, she almost broke. This was Kurt. Kurt freaking Hummel, fiercest bitch of them all. King of the fashionistas. Self-proclaimed diva, honorary girl, and the most vocally talented person she knew second only to herself.

"Oh Kurt," she managed to say. She wanted to touch him, to talk to him, to do something other than just stand there, but she didn't want to scare him away.

Kurt looked at her, then glanced over at Rachel and Tina, who looked at him hopefully. His eyes slowly moved back to Mercedes and he let out a sigh.

"You guys…" he started. He glanced back at Blaine, who gave him a gently squeeze of the hand. "You skipped school to visit."

The girls didn't know what to say at first, startled by the statement. What did that mean? Did he not know that he'd missed ten weeks of his life? Was he simply unaware of time moving?

"Uh…Kurt…remember how we talked a couple days ago?" Blaine spoke up. Kurt did not respond. "Kurt, you've been here a while. You were asleep for ten weeks. It's summer now."

Blue eyes suddenly opened wide. His neck straightened and his brow furrowed as though he was suddenly hearing this for the first time and truly comprehending it. He looked at Blaine, his jaw trembling in overwhelming confusion.

"What? I-I-I missed Nationals," Kurt said. The words came out slow, forced, like he wanted to talk but his body thought it too much effort. Even with confusion evident, Blaine was still proud. This was the most he'd heard Kurt speak since he woke up. He was making progress.

"It was all right." Rachel stepped towards the bed, her hands clasped in front of her. "We didn't win. We couldn't win without you."

Kurt cringed, disbelieve apparent on his face. Blaine felt a small pain in his heart as he recognized Kurt's pain.

"I missed so much, didn't I?" Kurt asked, his voice small and broken. He held Blaine's hand like it was a lifeline. "Why did I miss so much?"

"You were in an accident, boo," Mercedes said softly. She slipped her fingers through Kurt's other hand, causing him to tense suddenly and rip both his hands from their grips.

"What? What accident?" Kurt squawked, sending panicked looks to all his friends. Blaine sent a worried glance to toward the girls, although his was for a different reason than theirs.

"Kurt, we talked about this on Monday. We were in a car accident almost three months ago. We went on a date and on the way back to my house we were hit by another car," Blaine explained. He thought Kurt understood what had happened. He'd spoken with him at length about it and Kurt had even muttered acknowledgments when Blaine paused to ask him if he understood what he was talking about.

"You didn't tell me anything. What are you talking about?" Kurt looked at him oddly, his eyes filled with fear and panic. It was starting to scare Blaine. So maybe Kurt hadn't been as responsive as he thought the other day. Then Kurt was looking right at him, eyes wide and clear for the first time since he woke up.

"Blaine, your hair. It's long," Kurt said. "Why is it so long? It was just short the other day."

Now Blaine was confused. He sent a glance over to Mercedes, who was starting to look afraid for her friend. She looked over at Rachel and Tina, muttering that maybe they should wait outside. Maybe Kurt wasn't ready to see them. Blaine confirmed that this was a good idea and waited until they were outside.

"It's been three months, Kurt," Blaine sighed. "You've been in the hospital for almost three months. You missed the end of your junior year of high school. You missed Nationals. You missed a lot."

"Oh," Kurt said. His eyes were wide, glistening with tears as he began to understand the seriousness of the situation.

"Yeah," Blaine said. "Oh."

"I must look horrible," Kurt muttered. Blaine laughed at this and Kurt glared before ducking his head down and reaching a hand up to run it through his hair. His short and unstyled hair. Blaine waited for a moment as Kurt felt his hair. "Oh my god."

"In the accident, you went through the windshield of your Navigator. Your hit your head pretty bad and there was a huge gash. They had to shave your hair off," Blaine said solemnly, as if mourning the loss of Kurt's gorgeous chestnut hair. It would grow back, but it would take time. After all, it took Kurt seventeen years to get it like he had it.

Kurt felt for a moment, running his fingers over the raised lump of a scar where the hair was growing back unevenly. He held in a choked sob as he let his hand fall to his side.

"You're beautiful, Kurt. No matter what you do or how you look. I will always love you," Blaine said, taking the hand that rested at Kurt's side. Kurt offered him a small smile, letting his head tip down again. They were silent, Blaine rubbing small circles on Kurt's hand with his thumb. For a while it seemed like Kurt was going to be all right, until his soft, terrified voice spoke again.

"Blaine?" Kurt inquired softly.

"Yes?" Blaine leaned closer, waiting for his question.

"Why can't I move my legs?" Kurt asked.

Blaine's golden eyes widened. He looked at the appendages in question, finding them motionless even though the determined look on Kurt's face showed he was very much trying to move them.

"I-I-I don't know," Blaine said. He felt tears burn his eyes. Tears he hadn't let himself cry in a long time. Kurt was quivering with the effort to hold back his own tears.

"I can't move my legs," Kurt cried. "I don't understand. I can feel them. I can feel the sheets on them, I can feel you close to them. But they won't _move_."

Blaine didn't know what to do. He didn't what to say. He didn't know if he could handle this, but Kurt needed him, so he had to help him. He resigned, in the end, to pressing the call button and asking for a nurse to come and explain the situation to Kurt better than he could.

. ~ . ~ .

By the time Blaine left Kurt's room, it was three hours later. He was surprised to find not only Mercedes, Tina, and Rachel still there, but Finn, Carole, and Burt were waiting also. Burt stood, looking like he was at the brink of his self-control.

"Rachel called us and told us what was happening," Burt said.

"You could've come in," Blaine said. "You should've. He could really use his dad right now."

Burt sighed and glanced at the others. "I don't know how to deal with him like this. I figured he's responded better to you."

"It's all right," Blaine said. "He just…he's so confused. And he can't…he can't move his legs. They don't know if he'll be able to walk."

Burt tried to hide his reaction, but it was difficult. It was a mixture of anger and sorrow and hatred for the man who hit their car that night and pain for his son. Blaine wanted to do something to comfort Burt, but he was so tired from dealing with Kurt.

"I'm gonna go in and see how he's doing," Burt said. Blaine nodded and was startled when Burt reached out and drew him into a tight embrace. He patted the stunned teenager on the back, squeezing him hard. "Thank you," Burt said, just for Kurt to hear. "Thank you so much."

Then he stepped back and headed into Kurt's room. Blaine turned back to the others, who looked at him worriedly.

"I have to be with him all the time. I mean, I'll work at the shop but I have to stay with him. He needs me. If he can't walk he'll need someone to help him get around." Blaine pushed his hands into his pockets and sighed. He couldn't go back to school in September. He had to work for Kurt. If he couldn't walk, then he'd need to live in a place that was easily accessible and it would be more expensive. "I'm not going back to school in September. There's just no way."

"Don't talk like that, bear," Mercedes suddenly snapped.

"Yeah," Rachel chimed in. "With an education, you'll be able to support Kurt better."

"We know you want to work, Blaine, but Kurt would want you to go to McKinley with us," Tina said.

"Besides, man, it's senior year! You can take a half day and spend the rest of the time with Kurt," Finn added. Blaine looked at them all skeptically. He hadn't planned on returning to school in the fall, and now that Kurt was awake and needed him more than ever he really didn't want to.

But if any of them had a point, Rachel was right. At least with a high school diploma he could get a job other than working at Burt's shop.

. ~ . ~ .

"Dad," Kurt whispered softly as his father entered the room. It was apparently that he had been crying, but he quickly wiped his eyes in an effort to mask his sadness.

"Hey, kiddo," Burt said, smiling at him regardless of the depressing mood in the air. Kurt looked up at him from behind heavy eyelids.

"Go away," Kurt said shyly. "Just…just leave. Please. Don't come closer."

Burt was hurt. He froze in his spot and his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. Kurt's words _hurt_. His own son didn't want him near him.

"I don't want you to see me like this," Kurt said. He sniffled and jerked his head away, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Kurt." Burt's heart ached for his son. He continued moving closer until he was beside Kurt's bed. "Oh Kurt. It doesn't matter. You're my son. I _love_ you."

Struggling not to cry, Kurt's entire face became pinched as his chest quivered with the effort not to cry. It was failing him. Burt wanted to tell him to just let it out.

"I'm so sorry, daddy," Kurt let out a choked sob. "I'm so sorry this happened. I'm sorry I can't move and I'm sorry I look like crap and I'm so_ sorry_ that you had to worry about me."

"Kurt, look at me."

He shook his head, refusing.

"Son, I want you to look at me right now," Burt said sternly.

Slowly, Kurt turned look up at him.

"_Do. Not._ Apologize to me. You have nothing to apologize for. Accidents happen all the time, Kurt, and it is most certainly _not your fault_. It's gonna be hard from here on out, I know that. But you'll get better and we'll bring you home. We'll build ramps, we'll get one of those pullout beds and you can take over the family room. We'll figure something out. And Blaine's staying with us now. He'll help you. We'll all help you and we'll get through this," Burt told him. Tears were streaming steadily down Kurt's face and Burt could tell that more than anything he was scared.

"I love you, Dad," Kurt said.

Burt's heart _broke_.

"I love you too, kiddo," Burt said. He leaned over and pulled Kurt into a tight embrace.

They would get through this. He was sure of it.

. ~ . ~ .

_July 24, 2011_

_7:16 PM_

It took Blaine exactly three days in a row of visiting Kurt to realize what the problem was.

Quite frankly, he was _terrified_ of it.

On the fourth day, he knew it was easier if he took the morning shift of being with Kurt, so he hopped in Burt's truck and hurried to Westerville. When he got there, Kurt was still asleep, but he quickly woke up after sensing Blaine's presence.

"Hi, Kurt," Blaine said, smiling. He held Kurt's hand and kissed the ring on his finger.

"Hi," Kurt said, offering him a small smile. He yawned, stretched his other arm, and ran one hand through his hair. Then his whole body stiffened. "Blaine…what happened to my hair?"

Blaine's eyes closed. _Here we go again_.

"Blaine, what's going on? Why can't I move my legs? What aren't you telling me?"

Then Kurt was crying and Blaine was thinking he couldn't keep explaining this to Kurt every single day and he couldn't keep hiding Kurt's short-term memory loss from Burt.

Blaine took a deep breath and managed to get Kurt calm enough to explain everything to him. He was getting better at it. When he was done, he crawled into the small hospital bed and held Kurt in his arms. He cried for three hours into Blaine's shirt before Burt and Carole arrived.

"Kurt, I have to talk to your dad alone," Blaine said. After a lot of effort, he extracted himself from Kurt's embrace and left him alone in the room with Carole.

"What is it?" Burt asked once they were in the hallway.

"Uh…you haven't talked to his doctor since yesterday, have you?" Blaine asked. He tried to avoid eye contact with the older man. He was just thankful that Burt had developed a great amount of patience with him since he started working at the tire store.

"No. Why? Is there something wrong with Kurt?" Burt questioned.

Blaine nervously shifted from foot to foot and rubbed the back of his neck. He shrugged and chanced a glance at Burt.

"He's got short-term memory loss. And he's got it pretty bad. I've had to tell him six times in the last for days about the accident. He keeps forgetting. I'm really worried about it." Blaine dropped his arm and let it hang by his side. Burt didn't look as angry as Blaine had anticipated. He just looked worried like he had every day since the accident.

"What are the doctors doing?" Burt asked. Blaine shrugged.

"Medication. I guess there's still some swelling in his brain that just won't go away. They usually come around in about twenty minutes to check on him. They'll probably talk to you then. I just…I wanted to tell you," Blaine said.

Burt looked like he didn't know what to say about that, but in the end he reached out and set his hand on Blaine's shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze, and he thanked him.

* * *

><p>Review and let me know what you thought :)<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: So I changed the summary a bit. I can't not write Klaine love.

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><p><em>August 21, 2011<em>

_11:14 AM_

By the time Kurt was well enough to come home, his memory was only slightly better. He was able to remember parts of conversations from the day before, and he had retained knowledge of the accident. The doctors explained that he was forming long term memories now and he was on the slow path to a full recovery. Everyone just had to be annoyingly patient with him as he forgot what they were talking about mid-conversation.

His memory, though, was not the only thing they had to be patient with. Kurt knew how to use a wheelchair thanks to Mr. Schue's lesson on how hard things were for Artie, but he was hesitant now that he actually _needed _it.

It had been Finn's idea to throw Kurt a welcome home party, which Burt, Carole, and Blaine only agreed to because they knew Finn wanted to do something that made him feel important. Now with Kurt coming home, they knew Finn wouldn't be getting much attention and they felt slightly guilty for it. Except that Kurt needed them more right now, so they didn't let the guilt consume them.

When Carole's car pulled up in front of the Hudson-Hummel house that day, there were cars everywhere. All of New Directions was waiting inside quite impatiently to welcome a slightly overwhelmed Kurt back home. Carole pulled up right in front of the garage and turned around to smile at Kurt, who sat beside Blaine, clutching his hand tightly.

"Are you ready, Kurt?" Carole asked. She sent a quick glance towards Burt, who climbed out and went to the trunk to pull out and unfold Kurt's wheelchair. He didn't reply, instead leaning closer to Blaine.

The door opened and Kurt stared at the wheelchair like it was a monster about to eat him. Blaine extracted himself from Kurt's grasp and got out of the car, going around to the open door to help Kurt into the chair.

Blaine unbuckled Kurt's seatbelt and tucked his arm under Kurt's knees. Carefully, slowly, he pulled Kurt out of the car and got him sitting in the chair. He insisted on being the one to help Kurt because he _needed_ Kurt to trust him. Not that Kurt didn't, he just wanted Kurt to know if he ever needed help, Blaine would be there.

Burt rolled Kurt's chair toward the house, into the garage. He'd built a ramp from the back porch but he hadn't gotten to building one in the front yet. Carole and Blaine followed, almost startled by the cry of "welcome home Kurt!" that filled the house as soon as they entered. Kurt offered them all a smile and a round of "thank you guys", but Blaine could tell he wasn't excited about his friends seeing him weak and vulnerable in his wheelchair.

"Hey y'all, Kurt's my bro now," Artie announced, wheeling over to Kurt and holding his gloved hand for a high five. Kurt raised an eyebrow and weakly offered him a high five back. His arms were tired, despite the physical therapy he'd been doing for the last three weeks.

"Look, Kurt, we made you all kinds of gross organic snacks that you like," Finn announced proudly. Kurt smiled at his stepbrother, but it was half-hearted.

"You look amazing, boo," Mercedes hugged him tightly. Before they left the hospital, Kurt insisted on doing what he could with his still frustratingly short hair. No matter what though, it would be a long time before Kurt would back to the boy they all knew and loved.

Kurt wheeled himself over to the folding table that was set up in the living room, covered in plates of foods that didn't quite look like the pictures in the recipe books. Everyone was silent as he leaned forward, taking a paper plate and reaching across the table, trying to reach a plate of what looked like organic spring rolls. He let out a small whimper as his fingers couldn't quite grasp one of the snacks. Instinctively, Blaine stepped forward and took Kurt's plate, about to fill it with food.

"Stop!" Kurt snapped. He grabbed the plate back and glared up at his boyfriend. "I don't need your help. I can get it myself!"

Blaine looked shocked at Kurt's outburst, then retreated and watched Kurt struggle for another minute, frustration becoming evident. The room was silent, then he finally leaned back in the chair. Refusing to look up at Blaine, he quietly asked him to just move the plate a little closer to the edge. Blaine did, and Kurt put a couple of the snacks on his plate, setting it in his lap and wheeling himself over to be next to Mercedes.

Someone cleared their throat – it sounded like Puck – and Rachel suggested that someone turn on some music in the silence. Blaine turned on the soundtrack for Wicked, knowing how much Kurt loved it, and watched from a distance as his boyfriend attempted to have a conversation with Mercedes and Tina.

The members of New Directions spread themselves out in the house: Finn, Puck, Sam, and Artie set up Finn's Xbox and started up a Call of Duty tournament while Mercedes, Quinn, Brittany, and Santana filled Kurt in on the latest fashion trends that he'd been missing out on. Rachel discussed new musicals on Broadway with Blaine. Mike and Tina were…well…some place. Probably attached to each other's faces.

After an hour, Burt asked Blaine to help him outside with the grill. He was going to barbeque up some hotdogs and burgers for everyone. Blaine got the meats from the kitchen and met Burt outside. It was just the two of them outside and it was quiet, unlike inside.

"I think Kurt's gonna be all right," Burt said as he laid a few hamburger patties on the grill. For a moment, only the sizzle of the meat juices cooking could be heard, then Blaine spoke up.

"I don't know," Blaine said. "When he wakes up tomorrow morning, he won't even remember this."

Burt shrugged. "He wouldn't let you help him. That sounds a lot like the Kurt I know."

"I know. I'm glad he's still strong, but this isn't going to be easy for him. The doctor said he's gonna need physical and mental therapy. He won't be able to go back to school. He won't be able to graduate on time and go to college. They said there's hope, but without him working for it, he'll never walk again. Who knows if he'll ever sing again? And he can't go shopping as well now. I'm just…I just hate that I have to be the one to explain all these things to him. I know that you could explain it just as easily, but I don't want him to ever think I would hide something from him." Blaine realized he was rambling a bit and looked up at the older man, who eyed him with a look of pity.

"This is a lot for someone your age to take on," Burt said. He looked back down at the burgers sizzling over the charcoals. "I think that maybe you should take some time to relax. You've been working almost full time at the shop and helping Kurt. Take a little time for yourself."

"I can't," Blaine sighed, sitting down on the edge of one of the patio chairs. He rested his elbows on his knees and watched an ant scurrying across the patio.

"I don't see why," Burt said. "Carole and Finn and I are just as capable of helping Kurt as you are."

"But you're family. You _have_ to be here. Kurt needs to see that I chose him," Blaine insisted.

"He does see that," Burt said. "Hell, the other morning he asked me to tell you to _not_ see him until you got at least eight hours of sleep and a decent not fast food meal."

Blaine let out a long, frustrated sigh. He hadn't slept more than four or five hours a night since Kurt woke up and he'd been living on fast food tacos and whatever Carole left him in the fridge for dinner. It wasn't healthy, but he was far less concerned with his own health and focused solely on Kurt's.

"What am I gonna do?" Blaine asked. "I have to be responsible for myself now and Kurt needs me and it feels like there is so much pressure on the decisions I make now that I can't even tell which is the right one anymore."

"Hey," Burt said softly. He turned away from the grill for a moment and moved closer to Blaine. Stiffly, he sat down in the chair beside Blaine's. "You won't be of any use to Kurt if you don't take care of yourself."

"What is there to take care of?" Blaine shrugged. "The only part of me that matters is Kurt."

"That's not true," Burt said. "You are your own person. You can identify yourself by your love for Kurt, but he's not the only thing about you that's worth knowing. Why does Kurt love you?"

Blaine shrugged one shoulder and shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. "I don't know. I guess he likes that we both like music and Project Runway and baking those weird organic cupcakes. He said before he likes that he can have an intellectual conversation with me and he likes that I understand him."

"So you're smart, talented, you're a good lookin' guy who's got his shit together. I think those are reasons right there that you're an amazing person. Those are reasons why _you_ matter, Blaine. You've got to take some time for yourself or you'll never be able to be what Kurt needs you to be," Burt told him.

Blaine smiled softly and turned to look at Burt.

"Thanks," Blaine said. "I needed to hear that."

"Anytime," Burt said. He stood and went back to the grill and flipped burgers silently for five minutes. "Hey, you like football, don't you?"

"Yeah," Blaine said, perking up. "I'm a huge Buckeyes fan."

"Great. My buddy got me two tickets to their first game in a couple weeks. You and me, kiddo, we'll go. Just the two of us." Burt flashed a smile over his shoulder, seeing Blaine's wide eyed smile.

"Really? But what about Finn? I mean, he's your stepson. You should take him," Blaine said, his smile not lasting long.

"No arguments," Burt said. "We're going to that game and you're going to have a damn good time."

Blaine looked like he wanted to argue, but instead he just accepted that Burt wanted to do this with him, do this _for_ him, and thanked him gratefully.

"No problem," Burt said. "Now get inside and tell everyone burgers are ready."

Blaine jumped up and headed back into the house. He announced to everyone that the hamburgers were ready if anyone wanted them, and he was surprised when everyone hurried as fast as they could outside. Everyone except Kurt and Artie.

"Kurt, I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second," Artie said. Kurt turned his chair enough to look at Artie, his face emotionless. Blaine hung behind, wondering if he was welcome in this conversation or not. Kurt glanced over his shoulder and motioned for Blaine to come over. He grasped Blaine's hand as Blaine pulled over the chair Quinn had previously occupied.

"Sorry," Kurt said, motioning towards Blaine. "It's not like I can hold hands while I walk with him anymore so I gotta take it when I can get it."

Blaine's heart ached, but Artie looked like he understood.

"I know the last thing you want it pity right now, but if there's anyone who knows how you feel it's me. I'm really sorry this had to happy to you, Kurt. I just…it shouldn't have happened to someone like you," Artie said. "And if you ever need anyone to give you tips on how to rule the chair, I'm just a phone call away."

"Thanks," Kurt said, smiling. Even he knew that he wouldn't remember this conversation the next day, but it still meant a lot that Artie – who usually didn't really talk to him all that much – would offer his friendship. "I might have to take you up on that one of these days. This house isn't exactly wheelchair friendly."

Artie nodded and just as he was about to head outside, Sam came back in with an extra hamburger for him.

"Hey, dudes, you better hurry up before they're all gone," Sam said, looking at Kurt and Blaine. Blaine chuckled and asked Kurt it would be ok if he pushed him, not wanting to assume Kurt needed his help.

"Yeah," Kurt said. "But only if you kiss me first."

Blaine's heart pounded in his chest. He hadn't kissed Kurt properly in months. He leaned forward hesitantly, meeting Kurt halfway. The kiss was dry and chaste, but it made Blaine's whole body heat up as an explosion of fireworks that rivaled that of their first kiss reminded him of how much he loved the boy in front of him. Wheelchair or not, fashionable clothes or not, short-term memories or not, Blaine Anderson loved Kurt Hummel and it was going to take a whole lot more than a car accident to keep them apart.

. ~ . ~ .

That night, Burt pushed the coffee table away from the couch and unfolded the queen sized mattress. Kurt watched with a mournful expression as Blaine helped his father adjust the sheets on the bed and lay some blankets over it.

"I don't know how long you'll have to stay down here, Kurt, but if you need anything, I want you to let us know," Burt said. Kurt blushed slightly and looked away. He realized quickly he needed help with a lot of things he hadn't thought he would. Even just going to the bathroom required assistance.

"I just want to take a bath and go to bed," Kurt announced. Easier said than done. After another ten minutes of arguing between Burt, Carole, and Blaine, Kurt interrupted and said the only person he felt comfortable with helping him get naked and get clean would be Blaine.

Blaine, of course, had been shocked by this. Sure, he'd help the nurses with Kurt when he was comatose, but even then he felt like he was violating Kurt's privacy. But the next thing either of them knew, they were alone in the downstairs bathroom. Blaine filled the bathtub up with warm water and made sure all of Kurt's favorite shampoo products were within reach, then with much struggling, he helped Kurt out of his clothes and into the tub.

"However embarrassing this is for you," Kurt said as Blaine sat on the other side of the half closed shower curtain, trying to avoid thinking about Kurt naked, "it's ten times as embarrassing for me."

"I'm sorry," Blaine said, unable to resist a small chuckle.

He closed his eyes and listen to the small splashes of water that came with Kurt's movement in the bathtub. After a moment, Kurt began to hum and slow melody that seemed oddly familiar. Blaine listened as Kurt repeated the melody over and over before he finally realized that it was the song that he wrote for Kurt that he had played him in the hospital.

"I have this damn song stuck in my head," Kurt announced. "And I have no idea where I heard it."

Blaine smiled to himself and said, "Maybe you heard it on the radio or something."

Maybe someday, when Kurt's memory was better, he'd play him the song again.

. ~ . ~ .

When Kurt was dry and wearing a pair of green pajamas, Blaine helped him into bed and leaned over to give him a soft, quick good night kiss. He asked Kurt if he needed anything else, and Kurt quietly asked if he would lay with him.

"I don't know, Kurt. Your dad might not like it," Blaine said hesitantly. Kurt's beautiful blue eyes just blinked at him and Blaine knew he couldn't refuse him. He turned off the lights and slipped into the bed beside Kurt. After a moment of awkward situating, Kurt's back was pressed against Blaine's chest as Blaine draped an arm around Kurt's middle.

"Blaine?"

"Yeah?"

"There's one thing I'll never forget."

"What's that?"

"I love you."

It took Blaine a moment to answer as he tried not to let his eyes fill with tears.

"I love you too, Kurt."

After that it was quiet. Blaine waited for the stead rise and fall of Kurt's breathing that signaled he was asleep. Blaine pressed a soft kiss to the nape of Kurt's neck, then slowly and carefully climbed out from under the covers and headed upstairs.

. ~ . ~ .

_September 3, 2011_

_5:45 PM_

"I played here in my senior year when we made it to state," Burt said as he and Blaine climbed stairs with armfuls of drinks and snacks.

"My father promised to take me to a game, but he got too busy with work," Blaine said. "This is so great."

"Did Kurt ever tell you about the time he tried to impress me by being on the football team?" Burt asked as they found their seats and settled down. Blaine raised an eyebrow as he was about to pop a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

"No, I believe he failed to mention that," Blaine said.

Burt told him the story, starting with catching Kurt dancing to Beyoncé in "that ridicules spandex lookin' thing" – an image that made Blaine smile as he imagined baby faced Kurt from almost two years before – and ending with that being what made Kurt come out to him.

"Sometimes I'm jealous of Kurt because of that," Blaine said. "My dad wasn't nearly as supportive of my…lifestyle…as you are of Kurt's."

Burt gave him a look as if to say it shouldn't matter what his sexuality was, and Blaine offered him a small smile. He looked down at the field, waiting for the game to start. It was silent and awkward between the two of them until Burt set his own popcorn down and turned as much as he could in the stadium seat.

"You never did tell me what happened that made you leave home," Burt said. Blaine stayed staring straight ahead, so Burt added, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just want you to know that I'm here for you."

Blaine took a few more bites of popcorn, then washed it down with a long drink of his Pepsi. Setting the food down, he finally decided to speak.

"My father basically told me that if I didn't buckle down and get a girlfriend and graduate Dalton at the top of my class, then he would disown me," Blaine shrugged. "He was tired of my 'teenage experimentation' and he was one of those people who think that being gay is a choice. As if I would _choose_ to listen to his crap all the time. Anyway, he said no son of his would be a fag and he hit me and kicked me out."

Burt looked angry, like he couldn't understand how someone could do that to their kid. Especially when their kid was as nice and respectful and smart as Blaine was. Blaine's father gave him up because of who he was, something Burt could never imagine doing to Kurt or even Finn.

"His loss," Burt said. "He lost a son and I gained one."

Blaine smiled and he was surprised at this strange feeling inside of him. It was a feeling of being loved.

. ~ . ~ .

_September 7, 2011_

_7:10 AM_

"Come on, Finn, wake up! You'll be late for school if you don't get out of bed in the next thirty seconds!" Carole's voice could be heard from upstairs as she pounded on Finn's bedroom door. Kurt and Blaine shared amused chuckles as they sat on the couch with plates of bacon, eggs, and toast on their laps.

"I approve of your wardrobe choices for your first day of school," Kurt said, eyeing Blaine's maroon polo, black jacket, and jeans. "It's casual and laid back. And it makes your butt look good."

Blaine blushed and laughed as he took a bite of toast.

"You would like it. The jacket is yours," Blaine said. Kurt smiled and bumped his shoulder against Blaine's. Then suddenly, Kurt's mood vanished and he pushed his plate of breakfast away. "Hey, what is it?" Blaine asked softly.

"It's not fair," Kurt said. "I want to go back. I want to be in glee club and help you guys win Nationals this year. I want to learn and go to school. Why can't I go?"

Blaine sighed, his appetite suddenly disappearing as well.

"You can't go to school, Kurt, because you just asked me this same question half an hour ago and you can't even remember that I answered it," Blaine replied. Kurt looked hurt, scared, confused, and angry all at once.

"I…oh." Kurt hung his head, trying not to cry. "What if…what if I get my memory back? Can I go then?"

"I don't know," Blaine said. "Maybe. But you missed two months of class last year. Last I heard was that you aren't even enrolled in McKinley anymore."

"But I don't wanna be a dropout, Blaine. I'm better than that," Kurt insisted.

"I know that, Kurt, but look at it this way. You can't pass a French test if you can't even remember what you ate for breakfast let alone what you've been learning for the past week," Blaine said. He didn't mean to sound so harsh, but this was the same explanation he'd given Kurt earlier that morning.

"Oh," Kurt said. "Well in that case it seems silly of me to even want to try."

"Don't think of it that way, please. Believe me, I didn't want to go. I wanted to spend all day with you, but Mercedes and Rachel and your dad, they all made me realized I could provide a better life for us if I finished school. That's all I want, Kurt, is to have a good life with you," Blaine said.

"There's a lot I can't do, isn't there?" Kurt asked.

"I don't know about what you can't do, but I do know what you can do. I know you can be an amazing boyfriend. I know you can cook some amazing meals, even if you can't see the counter that well. I know that you can still sing in that beautiful voice of yours," Blaine replied. He leaned forward and kissed Kurt's cheek. Kurt turned his head so Blaine's lips landed on his. They just rested there for a while, just pressing their lips together.

When they finally pulled away, Blaine looked down at his half eaten plate of breakfast. "I've got to go to work at the shop until eleven thirty, then I've got Government, English, and Glee. I'll be home right after that, I promise, just in time for us to watch Ellen together."

Kurt offered him a small smile, then gave his hand a quick squeeze before he had to leave.

As hard as it was for Blaine to leave Kurt for most of the day, he knew it would be worth it in the end. Besides, he had his phone. If Kurt needed _anything_, he could just call or text and Blaine would be there for him.

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><p>Let me know what you think.<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own Glee.

First off thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, alerted, and favorited this story. I'm sorry it took so long for this chapter, I wanted it to be perfect. Also, I'm sorry it's not as long as usually.

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><p><em>September 28, 2011<em>

As it turned out, Burt and Blaine had a lot in common. Some days they would work together at the shop, putting together old engines and helping each other lift parts, all while talking about football or talking about music. Burt had looked up some of those weird and sometimes just plain awkward artists that Blaine liked and Blaine had in turn practiced Mellencamp for two glee club assignments.

Burt may not have cared that his kid was "queer as a three dollar bill" as he so often put it. Gay didn't matter to him. But he sometimes found himself wishing that Kurt was the kind of gay that Blaine was. Blaine was almost straight gay, if such a thing was possible. He liked cars and he obsessively watched football and a t-shirt and jeans were all the fashion he needed.

It wasn't that Burt would ever trade his kid for someone like Blaine. Blaine had lots of faults too. Like he was a little weak. Before the accident, Kurt could catch Finn off guard and wrestle him to the floor, then turn around and prance through the house in a tutu. Blaine also had a bit of a temper. A bad day at school could have him throwing stuff around the kitchen in an angry fit that could only be calmed by Kurt wheeling himself in there and grabbing his hand, telling him everything would be all right.

But other than that, Burt almost found himself wishing Kurt was more like Blaine. A little more masculine. A little more willing to try to be interested in the things Burt liked.

Except when Burt looked at Kurt all he could see was _his son_. His kid. Tired and broken and needed his father.

When Burt looked at Blaine, he saw _someone else's son_, tired and broken and needing anyone to love him.

Burt wanted both boys to feel loved and accepted. He split his time as best he could, watching The Sound of Music with Kurt until he fell asleep, then turning on some football game or another to watch with Blaine.

Kurt's recovery was coming along slowly. They no longer had to explain the situation to Kurt every morning, but they had moved into a new stage. Kurt would ask the same question three times in a row sometimes, or he would tell the same stories over and over, or he'd want to watch the same movie every day because he forgot he watched it the day before.

The only one who seemed to be keeping up their patience was Blaine. He didn't mind watching the Aristocats twelve times over the course of a week because Kurt was "in the mood to watch it".

Burt was in awe of Blaine sometimes. He wanted to learn from Blaine. He needed to learn Blaine's patience and tolerance. He wanted to know how Blaine so easily accepted that Kurt was broken and needed to be healed. He wanted to be able to go about his day as if nothing was wrong at home.

Because Burt almost envied this boy for the love and gentleness and kindness he could show Kurt despite how utterly frustrating this all was, Burt felt the need to reward Blaine. Since that first football game, he pulled strings and got them tickets to four other games, sometimes taking Finn and sometimes going just the two of them. Blaine was always hesitant to leave Kurt, but Carole just assured them she would take care of him. She didn't mind watching the same movies over and over again anyway.

Blaine, always thinking of Kurt, feared that there might be a chance that Kurt could become jealous by all the time he was spending with Burt, so whenever they left whether it be to a football game or just bowling, they left when Kurt was asleep. Unfortunately, this didn't stop Kurt from catching on, regardless of his inability to remember things.

One afternoon when Carole had to work and Burt was staying home until Blaine got home from glee rehearsal, Kurt wheeled himself into the garage where Burt was building a rail to the ramp on the front steps he was building. Burt was startled at first but the sound of Kurt's wheelchair, but he smiled at the sight of his son moving around by himself.

"Why have you been spending so much more time with Blaine than you have with me or Finn?" Kurt asked, looking up at Burt seriously. Burt set his tools down and leaned on the work bench. He let out a long sigh and tried not to look Kurt in the eye.

"Did Blaine tell you about why he's staying here?" Burt asked.

"He said he wanted to be close to take care of me and now that he's eighteen he can do whatever he wants," Kurt said matter-of-factly. Burt took his hat off and rubbed a hand over his head a few times before replacing the hat.

"His dad kicked him out, Kurt." Burt turned to look at Kurt, finally looking into those beautiful blue eyes that reminded him so much of his first true love. They were brimming with tears at this news. "When Blaine said he wanted to stay with you, his father kicked him out and we let him come stay here in your room."

"I-In my room?" Kurt asked. "I thought he was…he's in my room?"

"Yes, Kurt. He's been there for months now," Burt said. "I didn't think you'd mind. I promise, he's still living out of his suitcase."

Kurt's eyes were red from holding back the tears and his whole face was flushed pink. He just nodded and wheeled himself back into the living room that he'd been calling home since he returned from the hospital.

When Blaine got home, they found Kurt sitting at the base of the stairs, looking up them longingly, his hands gripping the wheels of his chair. Blaine dropped his backpack on the floor and knelt beside Kurt, who had been crying for the last hour.

"I'm so sorry about your dad," Kurt cried, reaching for Blaine's hand. "I love you."

"I love you so much, Kurt. It's ok. You're worth so much more than he ever was to me," Blaine promised him, kissing their entwined fingers.

"I wanna go upstairs," Kurt said. "I'm so tired of being stuck down here. I want to go to my room."

Blaine's eyebrows drew together. They were a lot of stairs to carry Kurt up and quite frankly Blaine didn't know if he was that strong. Kurt may be in a wheelchair, but he was still bigger than him.

"Please," Kurt pleaded. "Take me upstairs, Blaine, please. I need to go up there. Please!"

"Ok," Blaine said, mostly just to get Kurt to stop sounding so _broken_. He extracted his fingers from Kurt's and slid one arm under Kurt's knees. Kurt slid one arm around Blaine's shoulders – they'd perfected the art of Blaine lifting him in and out of the chair – and held on tightly. Blaine was used to only carrying him short distances, but lifting him up the stairs proved surprisingly easy. Kurt had lost a lot of weight since the accident, mostly in muscle mass.

"Thank you," Kurt said, his words muffled as he pressed his face against Blaine's neck. He held on tightly and looked up as they reached the upstairs hallway. It hadn't changed much in the last few months. They reached Kurt's closed bedroom and Blaine instructed him to hold on tight while he extended the arm holding Kurt's legs and twisted the door knob.

The door swung open and revealed Kurt's room. It was exactly the same minus Kurt's skin supplies and plus Blaine's open suitcases on the floor. Blaine set him down on the bed and stood up straight, rubbing his palms on his thighs and looking around the room.

"I tried not to change it too much," Blaine said.

"It smells like you," Kurt said.

Blaine felt his cheeks get a little warm. He told Kurt he'd be right back, and he disappeared out the door, only to come back a minute later with his backpack and Kurt's wheelchair. He set it by the foot of the bed in case Kurt wanted to get around by himself.

"Blaine?" Kurt looked up at him with those wide blue eyes that Blaine loved so much.

"Yes?" Blaine sat beside him on the edge of the bed. Their thighs touched, and Blaine wondered if Kurt could feel it. He'd said before that he could _feel_ his legs and he could feel with Blaine put his hand on his knee and rubbed gently, but for some reason he just couldn't make his legs work.

"Will you kiss me?" Kurt asked, reaching over and putting his hand over Blaine's.

"Yeah," Blaine said. He leaned closer to Kurt, not wanting to go all the way. Kurt met him halfway, hesitantly pressing his lips against Blaine's. They'd kissed a few times since Kurt came home, but they'd never shared more than a few chaste kisses on the couch in the living room when Burt, Carole, and Finn weren't hovering around.

Kurt reached a hand up and twined it in Blaine's now long curly hair, fisting his fingers in the curls tightly. His lips parted and his tongue darted out, wetting Blaine's lips. Blaine let out a small gasp and Kurt took the opportunity to slide his tongue into Blaine's mouth, swiping it across Blaine's tongue.

Blaine's hand reached up and cupped Kurt's cheek in his palm. He leaned closer and pressed his tongue against Kurt's until Kurt granted him access to his mouth. Blaine opened his mouth a little wider, tasting and smelling Kurt, completely wrapped up in the sensation of Kurt. The blue-eyed boy pressed closer until their torsos twisted so that their chests were pressed together.

"Oh Kurt," Blaine pulled away enough to whisper against Kurt's lips.

"Less talking. More kissing." Kurt darted his tongue out to lick across Blaine's bottom lip, dragging out a low moan from deep in Blaine's throat. He repeated the motion several more times before pulling back.

"What?" Blaine asked, stroking his thumb over Kurt's cheekbone.

"Will you help me lay down?" Kurt asked, a little breathless.

"Yeah. Of course." Blaine stood up, hovering over Kurt as he helped him move his legs so he could lie in the center of the bed. He looked up at Blaine from behind half closed eyelids. Blaine crawled over the bed and settled beside Kurt. He rested one hand on Kurt's stomach, feeling quivering muscles beneath his hand.

"I love you," Kurt said before tangling his hand in Blaine's hair again. He pulled the dark haired boy down until Blaine pressed his lips to Kurt's again. They kissed lazily for a long time, tasting each other and just being close.

Blaine moved to press gentle kisses along Kurt's perfect jaw before letting his tongue dart out to lick the shell of Kurt's ear. Kurt sucked in a quick gasp and trembled, reaching out to grasp Blaine's arm tightly.

"Don't stop doing that," Kurt whimpered. Blaine chuckled, then breathed hotly on Kurt's ear, making Kurt quiver.

He moved his way down, nipping and sucking at the soft, perfect porcelain skin of Kurt's neck. He made it down to Kurt's collarbone, revealed by the wide neck of the purple sweater he wore.

"Blaine…" Kurt whined. He clutched at Blaine, his breath coming out in little gasps.

Blaine was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to _touch_ Kurt. His fingers slid down to the hem of the sweater and pushed it up enough that he could slip his hand over the soft, almost pure white skin that covered the slight muscles.

"Oh god, _Blaine_," Kurt gasped. Blaine smiled against his skin and moved up, pressing his lips to Kurt's again. Suddenly, Kurt turned his face away from Blaine's, his hands clutching Blaine's shirt and his cheeks turning bright pink.

"What is it?" Blaine asked, pulling his hand away from Kurt, looking worried.

"I just…I don't…I'm…" Kurt glanced downward. Blaine followed his gaze and _oh_. So Blaine wasn't the only one really enjoying this. Kurt let out a short, high pitched giggle. "I guess that answers that question."

"What question?" Blaine asked, looking back up at Kurt's face to avoid making it more awkward than it was.

"If I can still get, you know…" Kurt blushed even harder. Blaine smiled and pressed his lips to Kurt's once more.

"Maybe we should…"

"Yeah." Kurt nodded and propped himself up with his elbows behind him. Blaine rolled to the edge of the bed, trying to hide his own evidence of how much he had been enjoying it.

"Let's watch a movie or something. I have my laptop," Blaine suggested.

"Ok," Kurt said. "You pick."

Blaine smiled and promised him he'd be right back. All their movies were downstairs, so he hurried downstairs and grabbed three movies. Hurrying back upstairs, he found that Kurt had moved himself to his wheelchair and currently occupied his closet.

"I am so far behind it's not funny," Kurt announced when he heard Blaine close the door.

"Best not to dwell on that," Blaine said, laughing as Kurt wheeled himself out of the closet with a pair of sweatpants draped over his lap. Blaine understood his silent, slightly ashamed request for help changing. He helped him for a minute, trying not to notice how Kurt had managed to calm himself down from their little make out session. Once Kurt was back on the bed and he settled next to him, Blaine popped a dvd into his laptop.

"What movie?" Kurt asked, snuggling his head against Blaine's shoulder.

"Aristocats," Blaine said.

"No," Kurt said. "I saw that yesterday."

There was no way Kurt could comprehend just how much that one phrase meant to Blaine.

. ~ . ~ .

_October 8, 2011_

_12:41 AM_

The Buckeyes game ran late, and when Burt and Blaine arrived home, they found the living room dark and empty, save for a small lamp and an angry looking Kurt right in the middle of it. Kurt had taken to sleeping upstairs in his bed with Blaine lately, appealing to his father by saying he slept better and felt safer in his own bed with Blaine beside him. Tonight, Kurt had agreed to sleep in the living room.

Except he appeared to have forgotten any such agreement.

"You guys were out for a long time," Kurt said. His arms were folded in front of his chest, fingers curled tightly into the palms of the fingerless gloves that Artie had given him as a gift.

"We went to a game," Blaine said. "It wasn't that great. Buckeyes lost and it was too cold."

"Did you guys ever think that maybe I'd like to go to a game with you?" Kurt asked, narrowing his eyes and glaring up at Blaine. "Or maybe I'd like to spend some time with my dad, just the two of us."

"I'm sorry, Kurt. Blaine just…he needs a buddy right now," Burt said.

"Blaine has a lot of buddies! Blaine has all _my_ friends. He sees them _every day_ when he goes to school. Blaine has legs that work. Blaine gets to sing with everyone and Blaine has _everything_. I'm stuck here in this house in this fucking wheelchair watching while my boyfriend goes out and does fun things everyday with my friends and my stepbrother and my _dad_. Did you guys ever think that maybe I need someone? Maybe I might enjoy going out? Everyone treats me like I'm a baby and I'm not!"

Kurt raised his voice until he was yelling hoarsely at them. Blaine looked hurt and Burt looked a little frustrated. Kurt was crying, his body shaking in the wheelchair with the effort to hold himself together.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Kurt," Blaine said softly. He moved closer, bending down to get eyelevel with Kurt.

"Get away from me," Kurt spat. He avoided looking at Blaine. "Why did you walk away from that accident? Why did you get to be ok and I have to be stuck like this?"

"I don't know, Kurt, but I'm sorry. I wish every single day that it was me here, in this wheelchair, forgetting things. I wish every single second of every minute of every _day_ that you were able to go to school and sing in that glee club and go shopping with Mercedes. I want nothing more than to give you the life you deserve, Kurt, but I _can't_. And while you watch me _try_ to have fun, you seem to be getting the wrong idea. It sucks just as much for me as it does for you because I don't get to go to college or be a singer or an actor like I wanted. I've given that up because you're more important to me. I don't want you to ever forget how much I love you, Kurt. That's all that matters to me," Blaine said, trying to hold Kurt's hand for the duration of the speech. Kurt just backed his chair away from Blaine.

"I think I'll sleep down here tonight." Kurt wheeled himself towards the couch and with no regard to his dad or his boyfriend, he hoisted himself up on the couch cushions and struggled to make himself comfortable.

Burt and Blaine knew that helping him now would just hurt him, so they let him be.

. ~ . ~ .

_October 14, 2011_

_7:32 PM_

For some reason unknown to himself, Blaine was invited to a party. He wasn't going to go to this part, for fear of making Kurt feel more left out than he already did, but Santana and Quinn promised that it would be a good time. Not that he quite trusted Santana or Quinn, but he really just needed a good time. Since Kurt's outburst, Blaine and Burt hadn't spent a single minute together.

Kurt was getting worse. His memory was getting better, but his attitude was steadily declining. Blaine was now the one sleeping on the couch. He helped Kurt bathe and get dressed and into bed, but then he was banished to the pullout couch downstairs. He respected that Kurt wanted some space, but he felt that Kurt wanted it for all the wrong reasons.

So to get away from Kurt's constant snapping and unhappiness, Blaine accepted the invitation to the party. He'd been to parties and gotten drunk before, but seeing how unhappy the ensuing shenanigans had made Kurt, he vowed not to do it again.

But now, for another reason unknown to himself, Blaine sat on the floor of some football player's basement, clutching his third – or was it fourth? He couldn't keep track – beer while Santana and Brittany did body shots.

"Come on gay, have a little fun," Santana demanded. Blaine smirked. Since his first day at McKinley, she'd called him "gay" or "Kurt's lover". He wasn't even sure she knew his name.

"I can't," Blaine whined. Damn. This alcohol was getting to him. He tipped the bottle back and let the beer slide down his throat, chugging more than sipping.

"Why? Oh god, you're not a horny drunk, are you?" Santana groaned before tipping back the tequila shot and sucking the lime into her mouth.

"Maybe," Blaine said. "Maybe not."

Santana poured him a tequila shot and handed him a wedge of lime.

"Take this. Auntie Tana's home remedy for seventy-three kinds of pain. Yours has got to be on that list somewhere," Santana said. Blaine chuckled dryly and tipped back the shot.

It took three more before Blaine finally, for the first time since they met, stopped thinking about Kurt.

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><p>Let me know what you thought.<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Please note the rating change. Please don't hate me for this chapter.

Warning: Attempted noncon.

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><p><em>Later that night<em>

_October 15, 2011_

_1:58 AM_

Burt checked he watched again, then peeked out the curtain to look at the driveway. Blaine wasn't home yet. Finn had arrived three hours before, slightly buzzed and apologizing profusely for losing Blaine somewhere at the party. They put a worried Kurt to bed then, saying Blaine would be fine. He was a good, responsible guy. Burt was relieved when Kurt went to bed.

Worrying about Blaine was difficult when Kurt was up. He couldn't tell his son this, but his attitude as of late had been a bit of a stress inducer. Kurt was always unhappy, saying he wanted more. He wanted to go out. He wanted to see his friends. He wanted to go shopping. Whenever Burt gave Kurt an opportunity to do just that, Kurt decided he didn't want to be seen in a wheelchair. He didn't want his friends to look down on him.

Once Kurt was off to bed, there was one less nagging voice to make him have to worry about _everything_. He turned his attention back to the driveway, where the garage light lit up the pavement, waiting to see if Blaine would make it home. He hadn't called or even sent a text or anything and Burt was really starting to worry Blaine had done something stupid.

Just when he was about to give up, a car pulled up to the sidewalk in front of the house. Burt squinted to see who it was and it looked like some of those kids in that glee club. It parked and a girl got out of the front seat and opened the back. Burt found himself out of the front door of the house, walking across the lawn as Rachel stood up straight, a _very_ drunk Blaine draped half over her.

"Hey Mr. Burt Hummel is here!" Blaine announced loudly, jabbing a finger in the air at Burt. Rachel looked up at him with a distressed look.

"Mr. Hummel, thank goodness. Blaine called me from the party and asked me to come get him. He's…he threw up out the window halfway here. Santana said he had more to drink than anyone," Rachel said as she handed Blaine over to Burt.

"Thanks, Rachel," Burt said. "At least someone is responsible."

She gave him a small smile and retreated to her car.

Blaine slung his arms around Burt's neck and pressed his face into Burt's shoulder.

"You comin' to rescue me. That's soooo nice," Blaine said, his words slurred together. He looked up at Burt with a wide smile.

"Let's get you inside," Burt said gruffly. He wanted to be angry, but now it was no use. He'd yell at the boy in the morning when his head hurt and he could remember things.

"I'd kiss you…but that'd be gross 'cause you're Kurty's daddy," Blaine said, stumbling over his own clumsy feet as they headed into the house.

"How about you just go to bed in here." Burt tried to usher him into the living room and get him lying on the couch. Blaine immediately rolled off and landed face down on the floor. He began laughing loudly as he pressed his face against the carpet.

"What's so funny?" Burt asked, humoring the drunk boy.

"The floor smells like floor!" Blaine laughed. Burt rolled his eyes and watched as Blaine pushed himself up to his knees. "I'ma gonna go upstairs and say g'night to Kurty. Give him a kiss g'night. A kissy kiss kiss right on his lips and show him how much I looooooooove him!"

"No, Blaine, I don't think that's a good idea," Burt said. He didn't want Blaine disrupting Kurt, keeping him from getting rest. But almost as soon as he said that, his phone vibrated and he fished it out of his pocket. It was an old flip phone, but he'd been using it to communicate whenever Kurt needed anything.

It was a text message from Kurt that read, "let him come up just to shut him up".

Burt heaved a disapproving sigh and leaned over to help Blaine to his feet.

"Kurty wants to seeee meeee!" Blaine sung happily, the words slurring together as Burt helped him upstairs. He made no effort to quiet the boy. Burt knew why he was drunk. It was obvious. Kurt had been making them all want to do stupid things lately. He would allow Blaine this just once. The boy would be so hung over in the morning that he'd be miserable enough to never drink again.

"Kurty wants to see me. Kurty wants to see me. Kurty wants to see me." Blaine chanted over and over under they made it to Kurt's room, pushing open the door.

Kurt was sitting up in bed. The lamp on the nightstand was on, lighting up a small section of the room. Blaine gasped when he saw Kurt and stumbled over to him.

"Kurty!" Blaine cried out, hugging Kurt.

Burt stood in the middle of the room, watching as Blaine collapsed on the bed half on top of Kurt. He didn't approve one bit, but Kurt smiled a little up at him as Blaine buried his face in Kurt's chest. Kurt stroked Blaine's wild curly hair and hugged the drunk boy close.

"Nothing inappropriate," Burt warned.

"Of course not, Dad," Kurt said. "I'm not about to take advantage of him when he's drunk."

Burt glared at Blaine for a moment, then nodded and stepped out of the room. Before he closed the door, he told Kurt he was going to bed and asked him to keep Blaine quiet.

As soon as they were alone, Blaine sat up and leaned forward, kissing Kurt hard and sloppy. Kurt pushed him off and smiled up at him.

"You're cute like this," Kurt said. "You didn't make out with Rachel, did you?"

"Nope, nope, nope. I'm gay. Gay, gay, gay, gay, gay. Gay and taken. I'm yours, Kurty. All yours." Blaine held his hand over his heart as if making a promise. Kurt smiled, and it made Blaine grin wildly.

"I'm glad you're mine," Kurt said, tugging him down to lay beside him.

"Wanna kiss Kurty," Blaine said. He moved so he was hovering over Kurt, kissing him wetly. Kurt hummed beneath him, opening his mouth and letting Blaine in. He tasted like lime and alcohol and a little like barf. Kurt pushed him off, feeling his throat constrict with the effort not to throw up at the taste.

"You need a tic tac. Or a box of tic tacs," Kurt grumbled, both his palms flat on his chest to keep Blaine off him.

"'s not that bad." Blaine pulled Kurt's hands away and aggressively dived back in, his tongue in Kurt's mouth, pushing Kurt's head back against his pillow. One hand held Kurt's jaw open, ignoring Kurt's whimpered protests. His other hand stroked Kurt's chest roughly, his palm pressing down hard as it ran down Kurt's stomach.

"Blaine stop!" Kurt whimpered, trying to pull away. Blaine didn't. He silenced Kurt's whimpers by covering his mouth completely. His hand kept going, sliding under the sheet that covered Kurt's lower body, under the waistband of his pajama pants.

Kurt's body stiffened and he struggled to try and stop Blaine's hand. Blaine curled his fingers around Kurt, only the fabric of his boxers separating them. He stroked roughly, bringing Kurt to half-hardness against his will. Blaine draped his body over Kurt's, feeling his own arousal thrumming through his intoxicated body.

Falling limp beneath his boyfriend, Kurt willed himself not to cry. This wasn't Blaine. He was under the influence. He didn't know what he was doing. Blaine, _his _Blaine, wouldn't do this. He wouldn't be touching Kurt in a way they'd never touched before. He wouldn't be going against every commitment they'd made to each other. He wouldn't be taking advantage of Kurt.

"Stop stop stop stop stop!" Kurt turned his head and Blaine's lips landed on his jaw, sucking softly and wetly as he pulled his hand out of Kurt's pajama pants. He pressed his hips against Kurt's, groaning against Kurt's neck as their erections slid together.

Kurt was so confused. He didn't even think someone could get aroused like that when they were this drunk. He wanted Blaine to stop. Blaine was supposed to keep him safe! It didn't matter that every touch of Blaine's fingers set Kurt's skin on fire, filling him with life and desire he never felt before. Blaine was supposed to ask him if it was ok to touch him like that.

But now, now Blaine was rutting aimlessly against Kurt, his tongue sliding sloppily over Kurt's pale skin as he struggled to hold himself up.

"Blaine…_please_," Kurt cried. Blaine took that as a request for more, pressing harder, moving faster. Kurt reached up and gripped Blaine's shoulders, pushing him off as hard as he could.

Blaine finally stopped. He rolled over onto his side and looked at Kurt's face in the dark. Kurt was terrified, blue eyes wide and brimming with tears as he looked down at his own body, ashamed.

"Why did you do that?" Kurt asked.

Blaine didn't know. His face fell as it sunk through his drunken haze that he'd done something wrong. That Kurt didn't like it. That Kurt didn't _want _it.

"I'm sorry," Blaine slurred. "Love you, Kurty."

He collapsed beside Kurt, still very clearly aroused, but no longer conscious.

. ~ . ~ .

_October 15, 2011 _

_7:45 AM_

Kurt hadn't slept since Blaine got home. He couldn't. Not with what Blaine had done. He'd just sat there, wishing his legs worked so he could curl up and hug his knees to his chest. To hide himself from his boyfriend who slumbered on, still in his clothes, unaware of anything and everything.

He tried to calm himself down. He really did. He knew Blaine wouldn't remember what he had done and Kurt didn't know if that made the situation better or worse.

Blaine groaned beside him, rolling over onto his stomach and pulling a pillow over his head.

"Kurt," Blaine snapped. "Stop breathing so loud."

Kurt held his breath for a moment, watching Blaine with wide eyes, trying to calm himself. Blaine wouldn't hurt him now. Blaine was awake and aware (sort of).

Blaine sat up after a few minutes and looked at Kurt, catching his wide and worried eyes. The pained look on his face faded and he crossed his legs, reaching for Kurt's hand. Kurt flinched away at first, then realized Blaine's innocent intention and let him hold his hand.

"What's the matter, Kurt?" Blaine asked, speaking softly and flinched at the sound of his own voice. His head hurt like a thousand bitches, but Kurt was his first priority.

"N-Nothing," Kurt said, smiling at him.

"Are you hurt?" Blaine asked. Kurt shook his head quickly, forcing himself to wipe all traces of unease from his expression.

"No," Kurt insisted. "I just have to pee, is all. Can you take me to the bathroom?"

It wasn't a complete lie. Kurt did have to go to the bathroom. He felt a little sick feeling in the pit of his stomach at the thought of Blaine helping him in the bathroom, seeing his body and the parts of him that he'd forcefully touched.

"Yeah, sure," Blaine nodded, instantly regretting it. He climbed off the bed slowly and brought Kurt's wheelchair around to the side. Kurt was getting better at getting himself in the chair, so Blaine let him, helping him only a little bit.

He wheeled Kurt to the bathroom, sensing there was something wrong. Waves of tension radiated from his boyfriend's body and every time he touched him, Kurt flinched. There was _something_ going on with Kurt. But Kurt wouldn't tell him unless Kurt wanted to tell him, so he didn't press the matter.

After Kurt was done in the bathroom, Blaine helped him back to his room and left him alone to choose his outfit for the day. Blaine took care of himself in the bathroom and decided to venture downstairs while he waited for Kurt.

Downstairs, Burt and Carole stood at the island in the kitchen, sipping cups of coffee.

"Someone's up early," Carole said, chuckling at Blaine. She gestured towards a half full glass of water and two aspirins on the counter. He muttered a thank you, rubbed his palm over his eyes, then popped the pills in his mouth and gulped the contents of the glass quickly.

"Is Kurt all right?" Burt asked. Blaine mumbled something in the affirmative. "You were pretty drunk last night, kid."

"That would be why I don't remember how I ended up in Kurt's bed smelling like tequila and barf," Blaine said, instantly regretting mentioning barf. His stomach twisted and he put a hand over his mouth.

"We need to have a talk about that, Blaine," Carole said sweetly, speaking softly, aware of Blaine's pounding headache.

"What is there to talk about? I went to a party. I got hammered," Blaine shrugged. He wanted to say it was because of Kurt, but he loved Kurt. Kurt wouldn't push him to do anything bad. It was his own stupidity.

"Did it ever occur to you that it was a drunk driver that landed us all in this mess?" Burt asked, not bothering to stay quiet like his wife.

"No. I wasn't thinking. Is that what you want to hear? I was being stupid and I got drunk. I'm sorry, but this is hard on me too!" Blaine slammed his fist on the counter. "I just want Kurt to understand that. He's just pushing me away so much and it's _hard_."

Burt wanted to be angry, and Carole wanted to lecture him, but at that moment they could hear Kurt calling from upstairs that he needed someone to help him. Blaine ran a hand through his hair, getting it caught on a tangle of curls.

"I'll go," Blaine said. He hurried out of the kitchen and upstairs.

. ~ . ~ .

_October 28, 2011_

_3:24 PM_

"Come on, guys. Sectionals is in two weeks. We need to get a set list together. I propose that since Blaine and I are proven to have outstanding vocal chemistry, we begin the set with an emotional ballad," Rachel proposed during one of their late, after school glee club rehearsals.

"Where is Boozy McButtboy, anyway?" Santana drawled lazily from the back of the classroom, examining her nails like she was bored.

Everyone looked around, having just realized that Blaine wasn't in rehearsal. Just as they began to murmur, wondering if anyone knew the answer to that question, there was a knock on the door to the choir room.

"Hey everyone!" Blaine said cheerily. Everyone turned to see not only Blaine, but also Blaine pushing Kurt in his wheelchair. "Kurt's been dying to get out of the house, so I went home and picked him up."

They all instantly surrounded Kurt, hugging him and asking him how he was. Rachel, Quinn, Puck, Mercedes, and Sam were the only ones who had stopped by and seen Kurt since his welcome home party. Everyone else was glad for this opportunity to see their friend.

Blaine stepped away from the group that swarmed around Kurt and retreated to sit beside Finn, who just watched the group around his stepbrother. Finn had been spending more nights at other people's houses than he had his own. Since Blaine had come home drunk twice more – although for reasons still unknown to Blaine, Kurt had requested that Burt not allow drunk Blaine to enter his room anymore – there had been enough tension floating around the Hudson-Hummel-Anderson house.

"Why'd you bring him here, dude?" Finn asked.

"He wanted to see his friends," Blaine replied. "I didn't think it would hurt."

"He's just gonna be reminded of all he's missing. You know how important education and glee club were to him," Finn snapped, turning a glare towards Blaine.

"He deserves to get out of the house, Finn. And where else am I gonna take him? No one else seems to find time to take him places. You're never even home with him, so why don't you just shove your smelly gym sock up your ass and shut your mouth," Blaine growled, trying not to raise his voice and steal any attention away from Kurt.

Finn gritted his teeth and stood up suddenly. He jabbed a finger at Blaine's chest, his glare meeting the other boys. "I know what you did to him, you bastard. Don't pretend you love him."

Finn proceeded to storm out of the room, leaving a bewildered Blaine behind. Blaine still had no idea what happened between him and Kurt that night after the party. As far as he had been concerned, nothing had gone down.

But now, that didn't seem to be the case.

He would have to confront Kurt.

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><p>AN: I'm really nervous about this. Don't worry though, our boys will make it through.


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own Glee.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. This is the longest chapter yet, though! Enjoy.

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><p><em>October 28, 2011<em>

_9:54 PM_

He'd been waiting for the best time to say something to Kurt, and it didn't happen until later that night when Kurt allowed him to help him get ready for bed. They were in Kurt's bedroom, Blaine watching as Kurt buttoned up his silk pajama shirt. He sat on the edge of the bed, Kurt still in his wheelchair. Running a hand through his mess of curly hair, Blaine let out a long sigh.

"Kurt, we need to talk," Blaine said. Kurt looked up at him, his eyes wide with worry.

"You're not breaking up with me, are you?" Kurt asked.

Blaine shook his head. "I need to ask you something."

"Oh," Kurt said. He finished buttoning the shirt and gripped the arms of the wheelchair. His whole body was tense as he looked at Blaine's face. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Kurt," Blaine sighed. "But I need to know. Did _I_ do something wrong?"

Kurt looked alarmed for a moment. His hands found each other in his lap and his fingers twisted around each other restlessly. He avoided looking right at Blaine, as if he were afraid to speak. He pretended like he had no idea what Blaine was talking about. He fixed his eyes on the half burned candle on his nightstand and began to fiddle with the ring on his left hand.

For a brief moment, he considered slipping the ring off his finger and giving it back to Blaine.

For a brief moment, he considered breaking up with Blaine.

Finally, Kurt knew he had to speak. He had to tell Blaine. He had to tell Blaine that of all the things he'd forgotten lately, _that_ had not been one of them.

"You…um…you were really drunk, Blaine." Kurt was already trying to justify what Blaine did, trying to give Blaine an out. He didn't want his boyfriend to feel as much guilt as he would have.

"I didn't…I didn't cheat on you, did I Kurt?" Blaine's eyes were wide. He tried to reach for Kurt's hands, poised to apologize for kissing some girl or another. But Kurt shook his head quickly, his eyes still focused on that candle.

"You…you…you ," Kurt said hurriedly, his voice getting higher pitched with each word. His face turned red and he fisted one of his hand in the fabric of his pajama bottoms.

"I-I'm sorry? I couldn't really understand you," Blaine said. It wasn't a complete lie. He'd understood "you" and "take advantage of". His heart thudded hard in his chest, threatening to split in half when Kurt confirmed what he thought he said.

"You tried to take advantage of me," Kurt said, a little stronger this time. Blaine's eyes squeezed shut and his jaw clenched. Kurt felt a little more strength surge through him. "You started kissing me, a-and then you touched me and you were rubbing on me and I tried to get you to stop but you wouldn't listen. You were too drunk and too focused on getting off to tell that I didn't want it and then you just rolled over and fell asleep."

By the end, Kurt was yelling at Blaine. His strength turned to anger and that anger was only propelled further when he saw tears leaking from the corners of Blaine's eyes.

"How could you not tell me I did that to you?" Blaine asked, his voice broken.

"Because you didn't know you were doing it but you _should've_, Blaine. You should have known but you _didn't_ and I didn't want to break your heart, but it was wrong. You touched me and I didn't want it. Not like that. There were supposed to be candles and rose petals and my legs were supposed to work the first time we did that! Now it's ruined, Blaine, because if that ever happens like it's supposed to, it won't even be our first time." Kurt kept yelling at Blaine, despite the crushed, guilty, utterly _broken_ look on Blaine's face.

"Kurt, I am so, _so_ sorry. You will never know how sorry I am. I've ruined this for you. I've ruined us for you." Blaine stood, shaking his head. "I'm so sorry."

He turned his back on Kurt and stood for a moment, gathering his thoughts. How could he have done something so stupid? Sure, he'd thought about Kurt that way a lot recently. He was a teenage boy with hormones and it had been a long two months since he'd had a proper moment alone to enjoy anything, even just his hand. But to have taken advantage of Kurt? It was practically rape!

"Blaine? Where are you going?" Kurt called after him.

Blaine hadn't even realized that his feet were moving. They were carrying him out of the room, pushing him forward with some force of guilty adrenaline. Blaine tried to stop his feet, but there was a nagging feeling that began to consume him.

He was no better than the bully who chased Kurt right into his arms.

He'd stolen something from Kurt. Something that Kurt would never get back.

Kurt hadn't done a single thing to deserve that kind of treatment.

Blaine wasn't sure he couldn't even stand to be around Kurt anymore, knowing that he'd done that to his sweet, innocent, beautiful boyfriend.

"Blaine! _Blaine_!" Kurt shouted down the hallway. He tried to follow, but his wheelchair got stuck twice in the doorway of his bedroom and he couldn't get down the hallway that easily. "Blaine, stop!"

"I'm sorry, Kurt," Blaine tossed behind him. He hurried down the stairs, passed a confused looking Finn, a worried looking Carole, and a curious Burt.

"Blaine! Come back up here and talk to me! Please!" Kurt half sobbed, half shouted from upstairs.

Crying freely, Blaine hurried into the living room and collapsed on the floor beside the couch. His suitcases of clothes were down here. He still didn't even have a drawer for his things. He was still just a visitor in someone else's house, and as soon as it was made known what he had done, he wouldn't even be welcome.

He was the world's biggest screw up if he ever saw one. The one good thing he had going, the one person he loved more than anything, the one family that accepted him for who he was. It was all there.

In a matter of seconds, Blaine was sure it would be gone.

He grasped the handle of one suitcase and heaved his guitar case off the floor. Tears clouded his eyes and he stood, facing an unhappy Burt.

"Blaine, please just come back!" Kurt still shouted from upstairs. Finn and Carole had gone upstairs to try and calm Kurt.

"What's going on?" Burt asked, folding his arms in front of his chest. Blaine quickly eyed the door to the garage, plotting his quickest escape route.

"I…I'm leaving," Blaine declared. Burt narrowed his eyes as though he didn't comprehend Blaine's words. "Kurt deserves someone who won't hurt him."

He hurried for the garage door, knowing the exact placement of the automatic garage door opener and exactly how low he'd have to duck to get under it by the time he reached it at a brisk walk.

"Whoa, kid, what the hell are you doing?" Burt met him at the door, his hand clamped tightly on Blaine's shoulder.

"I hurt Kurt. I hurt him bad and I'm so sorry. I know it was wrong. It was so wrong and I'm just leaving now to save you the trouble of kicking me out." Blaine managed to get Burt to let go of him as he backed towards the door. He opened it with one hand and flung his arm towards the wall, hitting that button right where he knew it would be.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Burt followed him threateningly.

"I'm sorry." Blaine was crying harder than he'd cried since the accident. "I'm so sorry."

He hurried towards the slowly rising door, chancing a look back at Burt, who followed him.

"Get back here, Blaine Anderson! Get the hell back in this house and man up to what you've done!" Burt called after him. Blaine clutched his one suitcase and his guitar case to his body and ran. He ran down the sidewalk, hearing Burt calling after him. Neighbors were peeking from behind their curtains, shooting curious glances at the boy running down the street, crying hysterically.

Blaine didn't know how long he ran, but he was far the place he'd called home for nearly four months by the time he stopped. He wanted to find someplace to stay with Mercedes or Rachel or maybe even Puck, but they were friends with Kurt first and when they found out what he did, he wouldn't be welcome with any of them.

He finally stopped to rest on a bus bench outside of a twenty-four hour mini-mart. He pulled his knees up to his chest and pressed his face in them, his whole body trembling from the effort of holding back his sobs.

He remembered it now. He remembered kissing Kurt and lying on top of him. He remembered the feel of Kurt's arousal in his hand and how amazing it felt to press his own against Kurt's hip. He also remembered Kurt's constant chanting of the word "stop" and how he refused to listen.

Blaine slid the ring that symbolized his promise to Kurt from his finger. He pressed it to his lips and with a strangled cry, he whispered, "I am so sorry."

. ~ . ~ .

"Stop helping me, you have to find Blaine!" Kurt nearly screamed as Burt bounded into Kurt's room, ready to interrogate. Carole and Finn held his thrashing arms, trying to get him to calm down.

"Kurt, just tell us what happened," Carole begged.

"Did Blaine leave? Where did he go? Blaine!" Kurt sobbed and screamed, his voice horrid and screechy and wrecked.

"He left. He's gone. He left like the ungrateful little coward that he is," Burt spat.

Kurt froze, looking up at his father with a cold hatred in his eyes.

"Take that back," Kurt said, too calmly and too evenly. He began to breathe heavily through his nose, nostrils flaring with each intake of breath. His icy glare was fixed firmly on Burt. "Take back what you just said."

"He hurt you. He hurt my son. Whatever he did, it had to have been bad," Burt said in his defense.

"Blaine loves me. Blaine was just drunk. He shouldn't feel guilty. No one knows what they're doing when they're drunk. He loves me more than you ever could. He's dressed me and bathed me and he's the best boyfriend ever. I was just stupid and angry and I yelled at him," Kurt said to Burt.

"What did Blaine do?" Burt asked, ignoring Kurt's attempts to make Blaine seem more innocent.

Kurt stared up at his father blankly for a moment, not really knowing what to say. He gripped the arm rests of his wheelchair and maintained eye contact while the gears of his mind worked.

"Tell him, man," Finn said from beside him. Kurt suddenly regretted telling Finn at all. But Finn had noticed how weird he was acting and wanted to help him, so in a moment of vulnerability, Kurt confessed everything. "Tell him, man, or I will."

The silence in the room was strange. Burt was staring at him so strangely, like he wanted to comfort him and kill Blaine simultaneously.

At last, Kurt's shoulder's drooped and he broke eye contact with Burt.

"Blaine took advantage of me when he was drunk," Kurt said.

It remained silent until Burt said, "What, like, sexually?"

"Yeah," Kurt said with a small shrug. "But I made him stop."

The anger began to rise through Burt and it was apparent with the increasingly red hue of his face. Kurt saw this and instantly feared that he father would chase after Blaine not to bring him back so Kurt could forgive him, but to beat the living crap out of him for hurting Kurt.

"That little son of a bitch," Burt practically growled. He looked over at Finn, who stared at him dumbly, a little afraid of being on the receiving end of Burt's wrath. "You knew about this? And you didn't tell me?"

"Kurt made me promise I wouldn't," Finn said in his defense.

"I don't care if Kurt threatened to feed you a bomb, someone should have told me! He did stuff to you, Kurt, and I let him live in this house and be around you." Burt jabbed his finger at Kurt, making his son cower in the seat of his wheelchair.

"He didn't know!" Kurt snapped. "He was drunk and he didn't remember so I let it go. Then he must've found out because he wanted to know. I didn't want to tell him because I knew it would hurt him. Now he's gone and I just want him back because I love him!"

Kurt was crying by the time he finished, steady streams of tears pouring down his face as his whole body shook with sobs that he made no effort to hold back. Kurt had never cried so hard in his life.

Kurt hadn't cried this hard when he found out he couldn't walk. Kurt hadn't cried this hard any of the times people told him about the accident. Kurt hadn't cried this hard from being bullied, from realizing he'd never get a proper education, or even when he realized his dreams of being on Broadway were crushed.

He cried because Blaine was gone. Blaine, sweet Blaine who he'd yelled at and accused and threatened to stop loving but in reality he knew he'd always love. Adorable Blaine with his unruly mess of curly hair and his charming smile and the way Blaine didn't let anything Kurt said or did stop him from loving him.

But now Blaine was gone.

. ~ . ~ .

_The next morning_

_October 29, 2011_

_6:21 AM_

Blaine was startled awake by a hand on his shoulder. He shot up and instantly regretted such a quick movement. He'd fallen asleep on the bus bench and now all the muscles in his back were tight and stiff. Raising his eyes, he found himself staring right at Carole.

Her lips were pulled tight into a straight line as she handed him a steaming cup. Blaine swung his legs off the bench and made room for her to sit, thanking her softly as he took the cup of coffee from her.

"Things were pretty bad after you left last night," Carole said, breaking the silence. Blaine nodded slowly and sipped the steaming beverage in his hands.

"I feel like such an idiot," Blaine said. "All I've ever wanted was to make Kurt happy and I screwed it up."

"Kurt wants you to come home. He forgives you," Carole said. She reached over and placed her hand over his on his thigh. "Finn and I have been looking all over town for you. I stopped at the coffee shop across the seat and when I was waiting in line I looked over and saw you."

Blaine shrugged and hummed his thanks, ignoring the first part about Kurt.

"Blaine, honey, what happened to your ring?" Carole asked sweetly, running her fingers over Blaine's ring finger, noticing the absence of the promise ring.

"I took it off," Blaine shrugged casually, sipping his coffee.

"Why?"

"Because Kurt and I aren't together anymore," Blaine said. He wasn't looking at her so he couldn't see the pained look on her face.

"He still loves you," Carole said.

"He's confused and he's sick and he's broken. I'm not sure he knows what he wants right now," Blaine said. He stood up suddenly, ignoring his protesting muscles, and set the cup of coffee on the bench. "Thanks for the coffee. Please do me a favor and don't come looking for me again."

He picked up his suitcase and his guitar case and he began to walk swiftly down the sidewalk.

Carole closed her eyes, clutching her own coffee tight in her hands. She tried not to cry.

. ~ . ~ .

_October 30, 2011_

_8:12 PM_

It had been raining all evening and Blaine didn't have a jacket. He sat in an alley in the back of the Lima Bean, his knees up against his chest as he shivered uncontrollably. The rain soaked him to the bone and he just wished he'd had enough sense to grab his wallet before he left so he could have some money to buy a jacket or a hotel room or some food.

He hadn't realized just how much he missed Kurt. Even when Kurt had been in the hospital, he still saw him almost daily. He missed Kurt's hands and the feel of him in his arms and Kurt's sweet voice. How could he have been so stupid? He loved Kurt more than anything and he knew it would be futile to try and stay away.

But he couldn't go back. Burt Hummel was a fierce fighter and would kill for his son.

Blaine pulled his knees closer and tried to circulate some body heat, but there was none to be had. He would freeze to death before he would go back and face what he had done.

. ~ . ~ .

_November 2, 2011_

_11:42 PM_

Carole arrived home early from work to find Kurt in the driveway. He was just sitting there, in his wheelchair, his fingerless glove covered hands clasped tightly in his lap. He glanced around, looking up the street one way and then the other. There was a dumb smile on his face and he looked so frighteningly pale that even on a cloudy day he could get sunburnt.

"Kurt? Honey, what are you doing outside?" Carole asked, trying to be soft and tender.

"Waiting for Blaine to come home from work for lunch before he goes to school," Kurt said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Sweetheart, Blaine hasn't been to work or school for a week. He went away, remember?" Carole cupped his soft cheek in her hand, trying to get him to look at her. He wouldn't.

"Where did he go? Did he go on vacation? Will he bring me back a souvenir?" Kurt looked up at her hopefully, as if she had all the answers in the world.

"No, Kurt. He didn't go on vacation," Carole said. She went to the back of his wheelchair and began to push him into the house.

"No! I have to wait for Blaine to get home!" Kurt shouted. He thrashed in his chair and his arms flailed. Carole ducked several times to avoid being hit. She tried to stay strong for Kurt, who tried to move and then finally he managed to just tip his chair over, spilling his half limp body onto the concrete path to the front door.

Carole swore loudly and rushed to help Kurt, but despite how light he'd gotten from all the weight he'd lost, she wasn't quite strong enough to pick him up.

"Kurt, you have to help me," Carole said. He remained limp in her arms and let her struggle with him. Finally, after numerous attempts at trying to lift him, she got him into the chair.

"Blaine's never coming back, is he?" Kurt asked, his voice unwavering, but full of pain.

"I don't know," Carole said honestly. "I just don't know."

. ~ . ~ .

_November 5, 2011_

_9:26 PM_

"Hey, kid, you're lookin' a little down." A gruff voice startled Blaine. He turned around and sniffled, wiping his nose. He'd had a cold ever since that night he fell asleep in the rain. Blaine looked up to see a man dressed in black. It scared him at first.

"I…uh…I'm just a little lost is all," Blaine lied. He gripped the handle on his guitar case. He couldn't lose it. He'd already had all his clothes stolen from him and his guitar was the only thing that kept him going. He'd sang on street corners until he earned enough money for a burger and a bus ticket.

Now here he was, standing on the sidewalk in New York City. Somehow, though, it didn't feel as good as it felt in his dreams. Mostly because in his dreams, he was holding Kurt's hand.

"You need a place to stay?" the man asked.

"No thanks. I'm fine," Blaine snapped. He started walking, but the man grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Give me your guitar," the man demanded.

"Fuck no! Get off me!" Blaine snapped, pushing the taller man away from him. He started to run, but he was suddenly slammed hard into the side of a brick wall. The man was suddenly hovering over him, pinning him hard against the wall. Blaine could feel his hot breath against his ear and he squirmed to get away from it.

"Give me your guitar, or I'll push you into that alley and fuck your little faggot ass until you bleed," the man spat. Blaine's whole body stiffened and he released his hold on the guitar case. The man ducked down to pick up his new treasure and Blaine took the opportunity to shove him away and run.

He ran. And ran. And ran, until he couldn't run anymore.

Blaine decided he didn't much care for the city. Not at all.

That night, he stopped at a McDonalds and spent his last five dollars on a meal, ate very quickly, then wandered along the sidewalk for a long time. Now he didn't have anything. He didn't have a jacket, he didn't have money, he didn't have his guitar, he didn't have Kurt, and he was all alone.

He didn't even have his driver's license or any form of identification, so he couldn't even get a job. He was stranded homeless, hungry, and lonely in New York City and all he wanted was to be back in Lima.

. ~ . ~ .

_November 7, 2011_

_4:47 AM_

Burt jolted awake when he heard the loud thump on the wall. He sat up and glanced at the clock, groaning inwardly. The thump happened again, this time followed with by the sound of something breaking. He moved his legs and settled his bare feet on the floor, flinching when he heard the thump again.

"What's that noise?" Carole asked sleepily.

"I don't know," Burt said. "I'll go look."

He ran his hand over his head and shuffled to the door. The thump was louder when he was in the hallway, and obviously coming from Kurt's room. Burt rolled his eyes and knocked once on the door before opening it.

He had to duck almost immediately as a book collided with the door beside his head.

"What the hell?" Burt straightened up and flipped on the light in Kurt's bedroom. He found his son sitting in the bed, looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes, and his bedroom floor littered with books, magazines, a small dish with a candle lying beside it, and a pencil holder with its contents spilled all over.

"Oh, hi Dad," Kurt said when his eyes adjusted to the sudden light.

"What are you doing, buddy?" Burt motioned to the things on the floor.

"I tried texting Blaine, but he's not answering. So I didn't know how else to get someone's attention," Kurt looked up at him, looking as though he was as innocent as possible. "Can you help me to the bathroom?"

Burt let out a sigh and bent over to pick up the items off the floor. He put them on Kurt's desk, then went to his son's bedside. He helped Kurt out of the bed and then assisted his son in the bathroom. When he brought Kurt back to the bedroom, he covered him to his chest with the bed covers and knelt beside him on the floor.

With one hand, he softly stroked Kurt's hair, looking into his son's blue eyes. Kurt smiled and tried to stifle a small yawn.

"Kurt, buddy, Blaine's not here," Burt said, still stroking Kurt's hair.

"I know," Kurt said. His smile faltered. "I know he's not here. He won't ever be here again. He doesn't love me anymore."

"I'm sorry," Burt said. "For everything that's happened to you. You deserve so much better."

"It's ok, Daddy," Kurt said, his eyes drifting closed and his voice sounding terribly small. "I love you."

"I love you too, kiddo." Burt leaned forward and kissed Kurt's forehead. Then he retreated and flipped the light off, closing Kurt's bedroom door behind him.

. ~ . ~ .

_November 10, 2011_

_11:07 AM_

Blaine walked along the long road, not a car in sight. He'd crossed the border between New York and Pennsylvania early that morning. Traveling was hard on him but he'd been walking and hitchhiking for the last two days. Glad to be out of the city, Blaine slipped his hands into the pockets of his now dirty and worn jeans. He had no idea where he was going. He just hoped it was towards Ohio.

He practiced his apology to Kurt one hundred times as he walked. His feet ached and the bottoms of his shoes were almost worn through. His stomach rumbled, having not had a proper meal in two days. At this rate, he wasn't even sure he'd live to make it home to Kurt.

"I'm so fucking sorry," Blaine said aloud. "I just can't handle hurting you."

He kicked a rock in front of him and it went skipping across the pavement.

"It was really stupid of me to leave," Blaine continued. "I thought if I could just get away from here, from you, that I could start a life but I screwed up. Please, Kurt. Just give me another chance."

Shaking his head, he knew he should beg more. Maybe he'd get down on his knees and plead with Kurt.

"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness."

Blaine shook his head again.

"Kurt, I know that you probably shouldn't forgive…"

"Fuck."

"Kurt, you probably…no…you deserve better than me, I know, but I never stopped loving you."

"Shit!"

"Kurt! I love you."

Blaine laughed at himself. Why would Kurt want him back like this? He looked like a ragged schizophrenic who broke out of the loony bin and hasn't taken his meds in days.

A horn honked behind him, causing him to jump and turn around. There was a woman in a red convertible smiling nicely at him. She stopped beside him.

"Any particular reason you're walking all alone, cutie?" the woman asked. She tipped her sunglasses down and eyed Blaine like he was a piece of meat.

"I'm sorta trying to get to Ohio," Blaine said, keeping his distance from the car. He didn't want the woman to think he'd attack her or something.

"Whatever for? Such a dreary place to live." The woman shook her head.

"I…um…" Blaine paused to run his fingers through his hair as he tried to hide his blush. "I'm trying to get home to my…uh…my boyfriend."

At first she looked shocked, but then she just shrugged. If he was gay it wasn't like he could rape her or anything.

"Hop in, partner," she said. Blaine smiled at her and slid into the passenger side of her convertible. He was barely seated before her foot was pressed hard on the gas and they were flying down the road. "What's your name?"

"Blaine," he said. "Blaine Anderson."

"That's a cute name. Why don't you tell me about your boy?"

He didn't even know her name, but he found himself telling her everything.

. ~ . ~ .

_November 11, 2011_

_12:31 PM_

It was Veteran's Day and everyone at McKinley had the day off. New Directions gathered in the living room of the Hudson-Hummel house. Kurt sat in the corner of the living room, eyeing Blaine's left behind suitcase that no one had bothered to move. He wanted to reach inside and take out one of Blaine's articles of clothing just so he could smell him again.

Kurt decided that if Blaine came back, he was going to clear an entire area in his closet just for Blaine's things. Kurt knew that Blaine never really felt at home there. He didn't have a permanent place to sleep, he was always being moved around, and he was still living out of suitcases. If Blaine came back, Kurt was going to make sure that all changed.

"Hey boo, whatcha thinkin?" Mercedes settled at the end of the couch, looking at him, watching him stare at the suitcase.

"Nothing," Kurt lied. He knew Mercedes, along with most of the New Directions, were mad at Blaine. Not only were they angry for what he did to Kurt, but Sectionals was that weekend and they were convinced their only hope of winning was a stunning duet between Rachel and Blaine.

"Wanna come outside? Your dad is barbequing for us," Mercedes said. Kurt shrugged and gripped the wheels of his chair, pushing himself out of the corner. Mercedes stood and took over pushing for him.

Once outside, he was greeted with New Directions sitting around in the grass, practicing their group number for Sectionals, Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory".

Kurt watched with a smile as they sang it, midway through it jumping up and going straight into their choreography. As he watched his friends having fun, he suddenly realized that it was highly likely he would never get to perform with them again.

Before he knew it, he was crying again and turning around so he didn't face them. His friends immediately stopped singing and there was a moment of silence as everyone looked at Kurt. Then there was movement behind Kurt and he turned to see Artie wheeling himself over, looking concerned.

"What's up?" Artie asked. Kurt shrugged and looked down at his lap. "You'll get used to it. It's hard, I know, but pretty soon you don't miss it."

"If I could use my legs, I would've went running after Blaine and I could've saved our relationship," Kurt said. He rolled himself back over to the house. He didn't feel like being seen by his friends after all.

. ~ . ~ .

_That same day_

_November 11, 2011_

_1:45 PM_

"You're quite the fella, Blaine Anderson," the woman beside him giggled high pitched as he sang along with Aretha Franklin on the radio.

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T, a little respect!" Blaine sang, breaking into laughter along with her. He hadn't laughed this hard in a while. He calmed himself down and took a drink from the bottle she handed him.

"Wine coolers, sonny boy," she said. "I figured it's all the hard core you could get."

"You wound me, April," Blaine chuckled. He turned back to look up at the sky. It was blue today, despite being chilly outside. They were lying on the hood of her red convertible, parked in the back parking lot of an old grocery store.

"Is that a challenge?" she asked, sitting up and leaning on her side.

"No," Blaine sighed. "As much as I'd love to, we gotta stay sober to get back to Lima by tonight."

"Why are all the good guys in Ohio?"

"I do not know. But what I'd like to know is why _the_ April Rhodes is headed to a place like Lima." Blaine turned so he was on his side facing her. She laughed and tipped her head back, looking up at the sky.

"Do you know someone by the name of Will Schuester?" April asked, sighing heavily.

"Yeah," Blaine said. "He's teaches my glee club."

April's face perked up with recognition.

"So you're one of those kids?" April smiled at him and patted his arm. "Good for you. You know that gay kid, Kevin or something?"

"Kurt?" Blaine couldn't help smiling back. "He's the one I've been talking about."

"Well," April said. "He won't be needing my muscle mag collection now that he's got you."

Blaine almost snorted, remembering when he'd found those magazines under Kurt's bed. He hadn't said anything to Kurt about it, but he meant to one of these days.

"Only if he'll have me back," Blaine said. "I just have this feeling that he won't just accept an apology."

"What is it that you glee club kids do best?" April asked.

"Sing?" Blaine half said, half asked.

"Exactly."

. ~ . ~ .

_That evening_

_November 11, 2011_

_7:54 PM_

"So, Kurt, are you gonna come cheer us on at Sectionals?" Finn asked that night as he helped Carole clear the table from their late dinner.

"I don't know," Kurt shrugged. He didn't want to, but his whole family was going so he might as well go. He could try to not cry in front of his friends.

"Come on, sweetie, it will be fun," Carole said, trying to remain happy despite Kurt constantly dragging down the mood.

"I guess," Kurt sighed. Just as he was about to head to the living room, he heard the squeak of car brakes from outside. Something caught in his chest and he redirected his path to the front door, getting there with difficulty. He peered out the window beside the door and saw headlights of a red car flash, then a door opened.

Kurt was frozen in his spot as he saw a figure that was very, _very_ Blaine-like get out of the car. It was dark out so he couldn't really see, but that certainly looked like Blaine's mess of curly hair in the shadows of the garage light.

"Who's here?" Finn asked from the dining room. Kurt didn't answer. He was opening the door and rolling himself out and down the ramp that Burt had built for him and calling Blaine's name before anyone could stop him.

Blaine turned to see him, his face lighting up at the sight of Kurt's beautiful, porcelain features. He stood there, not wanting to crowd Kurt in case Kurt was angry at him. Kurt stopped halfway between them, grinning wide, teeth showing and all.

"You came back!" Kurt said happily.

"Yeah, I did." Blaine moved closer. He looked behind him quickly as April's convertible backed out of the driveway.

"I missed you a lot," Kurt said, slowly closing the distance between them. "I didn't think you'd come back."

"Kurt…I…I have something to say. I'm really, really sorry for what I did to you and I'm even more sorry that I ran away. I love you so much and I was stupid, Kurt. I took off my ring but then I realized how much I love you and I put it back on." Blaine knelt down in front of Kurt, making him a little shorter than his boyfriend.

"Where did you go?" Kurt asked.

"I played my guitar on street corners until I saved enough money to go to New York, so I did but when I was there my clothes and my guitar were stolen, so I hitchhiked all the way back here," Blaine said. "I had so much time to think about what I was going to say to you, and I decided I wanted to sing to you."

Blaine reached up and grasped Kurt's left hand, his heart skipping when he realized Kurt still wore his ring. He took a deep breath, ready to sing the song he'd practiced for the last three hours in the car with April.

"_Sing a song sweet music man  
><em>'_cause I won't be there to  
><em>_Hold your hand like I used to  
><em>_I'm through with you_

"_You're a hell of a singer  
><em>_And a powerful man  
><em>_But you surround yourself with people  
><em>_Who demand so little of you_

"_You touched my soul with your beautiful song  
><em>_You even had me singing along right with you  
><em>_You said 'I need you'"_

He sang the song just as Kurt had, cutting it off where he remembered Kurt had when he recorded the song. He hadn't told Kurt that he listened to that song, listened to the CD that Kurt had privately recorded. By Kurt's expression, he knew. He remembered recording it and how secret it was, but that didn't matter right now.

"Blaine…I…"

"Kurt, you're _my_ sweet music man. I love you so much. I will never stop. I'm just so sorry that I ever hurt you. I'll go and never come back if that's what you want. I can leave again right now and never come back. I just had to tell you that I still love you." Blaine clutched Kurt's hands, feeling relief washing through his body at being close to Kurt at last.

"Blaine…I still need you," Kurt said softly, leaning over and bringing their hands up to his lips.

"What the hell is going on out here?"

Burt Hummel's voice startled them, causing Blaine to pull away from Kurt out sheer fear for the tone of Burt's voice.

"You," Burt nearly snarled, jabbing a finger at Blaine. "After all you did to us. After all you did to my son, you have the nerve to come back here?"

Blaine scrambled to his feet, backing away from a quickly advancing Burt.

"You're lucky I didn't have time to grab my goddamn shot gun," Burt threatened.

"Dad! No! I want him back, please! I forgive him. That's what counts, isn't it?" Kurt tried to follow them, but he couldn't leave the path to the door and Burt had chased Blaine out onto the lawn.

"I-I'm sorry, Mr. Hummel." Blaine held up his hands and stumbled backwards, landing in the grass. "I don't know what I'm doing, please! I'm sorry! Just let me be with Kurt. He's all I have. I promise I'll be better. I won't drink and I won't hurt him."

"You already did," Burt said. "Get off my property."

"Dad, please! Please, I need him!" Kurt shouted at Burt, who ignored him.

Blaine didn't move right away, so Burt leaned over and grabbed Blaine's shirt in his fists, hauling him to his feet.

"Don't, sir, I'm sorry. I'll go, I promise!" Blaine flinched away from Burt, his eyes squeezed shut and his hands up in submission.

Then Burt remembered why Blaine was staying with them to begin with. If he gave in to temptation and hit the boy like he so longed to do, he would be no better than the man who had called himself Blaine's father.

"Burt? Honey, what's going on?" Carole's voice entered into the situation as she and Finn came out of the house.

"Burt! Let him go!" Finn appeared beside them, breathing heavily. He grabbed Burt's arm and Blaine's arm and pried them apart.

It was silent, nothing by heavy breathing passing between them all and Kurt's soft crying from behind them. Burt slowly reached a hand out and put it on Blaine's shoulder. He flinched under the touch and Burt suddenly felt a hint of regret.

"I promise I'll never hurt Kurt again," Blaine said.

"I swear to god if you do, I will kill you." Burt squeezed his shoulder. "You look like you're starving."

"It's been a week since I had a decent meal." Blaine backed away from Burt's touch. He looked over at Kurt, yearning to hold him in his arms and show him how sorry he was.

"Get your sorry ass in that house and eat something," Burt said gruffly. Blaine looked at him, stunned for a minute, but then he hurried past him towards the house, stopping in front of Kurt.

"Only if you want me," Blaine said, looking into Kurt's beautiful blue eyes, searching for acceptance.

"Only if you kiss me," Kurt replied.

Blaine smiled and leaned down, cupping Kurt's cheek in his palm and kissing him sweetly.

* * *

><p>AN: Review and let me know what you think :) This is not the end. There is still quite a bit of healing to do, but it's all uphill from here folks.


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own.

A/N: I apologize for a lot of things. The wait. The shortness of this chapter. The lack of quality writing in it. Lots of things came up and tomorrow is my last day of school so I can get back to writing regularly. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><em>November 16, 2011<em>

_4:15 PM_

Burt was adamant about knocking on their door and warning them six times a day that nothing inappropriate better be going on in there, but other than that no one really had much contact with Kurt or Blaine since Blaine came home. That night, Blaine had come in and silently eaten sandwich after sandwich until he couldn't eat anymore, then Kurt told him he wanted to go upstairs. They hadn't been seen since.

And for the record, nothing inappropriate _was_ going on in there. It was just Kurt and Blaine, lying on the bed, curled around each other, whispering soft declarations of love and commitment and occasionally they would kiss for a long time but it never went beyond that.

Blaine insisted they couldn't leave until this rocky patch in the road of their lives was fixed. It took five long days, but by the time Blaine emerged from the bedroom pushing Kurt down the hallway in his wheelchair, it seemed like everyone knew it was going to be all right.

Finn had just arrived home from Glee practice – they of course dominated at Sectionals, no surprise – and Burt was sitting on the couch nursing a beer. Blaine entered the room, Kurt in his arms curled against his chest. They smiled at Burt as Blaine set Kurt on the couch, before going back upstairs to get Kurt's wheelchair.

"Hi Dad," Kurt said, looking over at Burt with a dreamy smile on his face.

"How are you feelin', kiddo?" Burt asked, looking over his son.

"Good," Kurt said. "How are things at the shop?"

"Business is booming," Burt said, watching Kurt smile as Blaine entered the room with his wheelchair. Blaine set it beside the couch and sat on the other side of Kurt. "Blaine," Burt said gruffly.

"Good afternoon, sir," Blaine said. He was hesitant to address Burt informally after that night out on the lawn. There was still a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that the moment with Burt had reminded him a little too much of the fight with his own father.

Kurt snuggled close to Blaine, resting his head on Blaine's shoulder and hugging his bicep. Burt asked Kurt what he felt like watching on TV, and Kurt replied that he didn't mind, really. Whatever Burt wanted to watch. Burt turned on football.

"The Buckeyes have been having one of the best seasons in a while." Burt took a sip of his beer and stared straight ahead at the TV.

"Yeah, they've been playing really well," Blaine said. Burt confirmed with a hum and tried to ignore the way his son snuggled even close to his future son-in-law.

"So, you boys are good?" Burt asked.

"Better than ever," Kurt replied. It was silent after that as they watched the game. After a while Finn came in to join them and for the first time in a long time, everything seemed like it might be all right.

. ~ . ~ .

_Later that night_

_10:02 PM_

"I love your hair, now that it's all long and curly."

"I love your skin, how it's always so soft and pale."

"I love your ass in a pair of jeans."

"Kurt, I'm blushing."

"Well sometimes I just wanna grab it. But usually my dad's in the room."

"Well I love your lips, especially when they're kissing mine."

Kurt let out an adorable high pitched giggle and leaned closer to Blaine, pressing his soft lips to Blaine's. Blaine smiled into the kiss and draped am arm over Kurt's waist. Kurt pressed closer, his tongue sliding over Blaine's bottom lip. He ran a hand up Blaine's side, pushing his t-shirt up. When his hand came in contact with Blaine's hot skin, Blaine's breath hitched and he pulled away.

"Kurt?" Blaine's hand pressed hard into the small of Kurt's back. Kurt pulled back and looked at Blaine with worried eyes. "Are you sure about this?"

"I trust you," Kurt said. "You were drunk when it happened and the only reason I didn't tell you was because I was afraid of how you would react. Now we're past that."

"I love you," Blaine sighed, leaning forward and kissing Kurt again. Kurt continued to move his hand up Blaine's side, moving over his chest and running his fingers through the hair there. Blaine pulled Kurt closer, which consisted of two ungraceful movements. The first being his top half, where Blaine wrapped his arm around Kurt's lower back and pulled him, and the second being a not-so-smooth attempt to reached down around Kurt's knees and pull his legs the rest of the way.

"Blaine!" Kurt yelped suddenly. Blaine retracted immediately and put a good two feet of distance between them. He looked up and down his boyfriend, looking for something he could've hurt. Kurt just stared up at him, his eyes absolutely _huge_ as he trembled.

"What is it? Did I hurt you?" Blaine asked worriedly. Kurt shook his head stiffly, as if he were in shock. "Then what is it?"

"Just…I…_Blaine_!" Kurt stared at him for a moment longer before rolling onto his back and flinging the bed covers off him. "Blaine, my toes!"

Blaine looked down, seeing Kurt's feet in the faint moonlight through his open window. At first he didn't know what he was looking for, but then he saw it. The faintest of movements. The tiniest little twitch, but it was there. Kurt moved his toe.

"Oh my god, Kurt." Blaine sat up and moved closer to Kurt's feet, watching as Kurt's toe wiggled back and forth.

"Is it…"

"Kurt you're…"

"It's really moving." Kurt sat up and stared in awe at the appendage. The _moving_ appendage. Blaine shoved the maroon blankets away from Kurt's body and watched Kurt moving his toes on his right foot.

"Can you move anything else?" Blaine asked. He watched Kurt staring at his lower body attentively, his right foot stilling as the toes on his left foot began to make the same movements.

"Just my toes. I'm trying to move my leg but it's not happening," Kurt said.

"Still, Kurt, you're moving!" Blaine couldn't contain his excitement as he jumped off the bed, his feet thudding on the floor. Kurt looked up at him in wonder, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"I thought I couldn't." Kurt reached out to Blaine, wanting him to come back and be closer. Blaine stayed by the edge of the bed, grinning like an idiot as he stared at Kurt.

Suddenly the door opened and Burt and Carole peered in.

"What's going on in here, boys? You're making an awful lot of noise," Carole said. Kurt grinned, teeth and all, and looked up at his parents.

"Dad, I can move my toes!" Kurt said excitedly. Burt looked between Blaine and Kurt, taking a minute to fully understand what that meant. He flipped on the bedroom light and stared at Kurt, lying vulnerable on the bed, pointing at his feet as he wiggled the toes on both feet.

"Kurt…" Burt moved into the room, Carole close behind him with her hand over her mouth as she tried not to cry.

"I'm getting better, Dad! You didn't think I would but I am." Kurt pulled himself up and looked between Blaine and Burt.

"Buddy, we knew you could do it. You got your mom in you," Burt said. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at Kurt with a smile.

"Does this mean I'll get to walk? If I just give it some time the rest of my legs will start working too, right?" Kurt looked around the room, searching for hope in the uncertain looks in everyone's faces. "Right?"

"Of course," Blaine said. "You've come this far. You can make it."

"Promise?" Kurt looked up at Blaine, smiling at him hopefully.

"Promise," Blaine confirmed with a nod.

. ~ . ~ .

_November 17, 2011_

_11:12 AM_

Blaine hadn't been with the Kurt to the doctor's in a long time, but this time he insisted on accompanying Kurt as his doctor did the routine x-rays and scans to assess the newest development. Burt and Carole were also there, and Kurt's doctor joked that the whole family was there minus Finn.

"Well Finn has to go to school," Kurt said matter-of-factly.

"And Blaine doesn't?" the doctor countered, sneaking a smile to Blaine as he checked Kurt's heart and his breathing.

"I…I dropped out," Blaine admitted, much to the disapproving glances of both Burt and Carole.

The room was silent for a while except for Kurt's simple answers to the doctor's questions about how he was feeling. After twenty minutes, the doctor asked Kurt to change into a gown so they could run some more tests. Burt and Carole stepped outside the room, but Kurt asked Blaine to stay. When they were alone, Kurt just sat awkwardly staring at the hospital gown he'd been given.

"Do you need help?" Blaine asked.

"You need to go back to school," Kurt said.

"Kurt, I can't go back now. I've missed so much and I've pissed so many people off. I can work at your dad's shop and save up enough money that we can live together." Blaine sat on the edge of Kurt's bed and took his left hand, running his fingers over to ring on Kurt's finger.

"Don't be stupid, Blaine, if I can't even get dressed without help, there is no way we're going to be able to get a place just the two of us," Kurt snapped. "All your dreams for us are delusional. We're going to be stuck living with my dad forever unless I can get out of this wheelchair and you can finish school."

"That's not true…"

"You're swimming in denial, Blaine! You just want to be happy so you're creating all these crazy visions that we can actually be happy together forever." Kurt raised his voice as he sat up and started to undress himself to change as the doctor had requested.

"You don't think there's hope for us?"

"I didn't say that! Do. Not. Put words. In my mouth." Kurt sent an icy glare towards his boyfriend. "I love you, Blaine, but this accident changed our lives. You have to believe me when I say that I want nothing more than that future with you, but I don't think it's going to happen."

"So…you don't think there's hope for us."

"I didn't say that! I said I didn't think _that_ future was gonna happen, not that _a_ future won't happen. I want you, Blaine! I don't want anyone else!" Kurt was getting frustrated. Since Blaine returned he'd been so unsure about himself and Kurt _hated_ it. Kurt was in love with nice, funny, dapper, confident Blaine who loved him back, not this worried and weak Blaine who needed constant reassurance.

"Kurt, I love you and I just want what's best for you," Blaine said. He stood and helped Kurt out of his pants. Kurt didn't have to ask for help anymore – not that he ever really did, he had too much pride – because Blaine knew exactly when Kurt needed him.

"Then do something for yourself once in a while. You're no good to me weak, Blaine. I need you to be strong," Kurt said.

"I try to be strong for you, but it's so fuckin' hard sometimes," Blaine confessed. Kurt looked up at him with glistening blue eyes. "You're just…you're _you_, Kurt, and everything you've been through is so much and I just admire you and think I could never be as strong as you are."

"No, Blaine," Kurt whispered softly. "You're _stronger_."

Blaine couldn't help the smile that spread over his face as he clutched Kurt's soft hand.

"I love you so damn much, Kurt Hummel." He brought Kurt's hand up to his lips and kissed his knuckles.

"I love you too, Blaine Anderson." Kurt moved his hand to cup Blaine's stubbly cheek. "Let's make a deal."

"Yeah?" Blaine raised one dark eyebrow and covered Kurt's hand with his own, feeling the soft, cool skin under his palm. He leaned into it, feeling close to Kurt.

"I will put everything into learning to walk again, and I mean everything. I'll do the physical therapy and I'll take the pills and I'll try every day to make something work…you know…like I was too stubborn to do before. I'll do it all if you promise me that you'll do what I ask." Kurt looked into Blaine's eyes and saw him hanging on Kurt's every word. "You have to go back to school, and you have to join Glee club, and you have to take them to Nationals and win, and then you have to graduate from high school."

"I don't know, Kurt, that's an awful lot to ask of someone," Blaine said, half-way teasing.

"Well it's an awful lot to ask someone to walk who can only move their toes, don't you think?" Kurt smiled as he said it, despite the attitude in his words.

"Good point," Blaine chuckled. "Well, then, Mr. Hummel, I think we have a deal."

"Do we, Mr. Anderson?"

"Only if we seal it with a kiss."

Kurt smiled and leaned forward. They met halfway, pressing their lips together in a slow, sweet kiss.

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><p>Let me know what you thought :)<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own.

A/N: I know I know, another short update. But I had to end it where I did. Also, I love all your reviews and favs and alerts and stuff. So many of them! You guys are amazing.

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><p><em>November 21, 2011<em>

_1:15 PM_

Blaine clutched the strap of his messenger bag as he strode down the hallways of McKinley High. He felt like everyone was staring at him, even though they weren't. He'd spoken with his teachers the Friday before and worked out a deal to catch up on everything he missed by attending for the full day instead of a half day like he had before, at least for the rest of the semester.

Finn refused to give him a ride to school – he didn't trust himself alone with Blaine after what he'd done to Kurt – so Burt had driven him. He'd wished him luck with a pat on the back before Blaine headed inside. Blaine didn't even know if he was welcome in the glee club anymore after it became public that he'd molested Kurt, then broke up with him, left him, then came back and begged Kurt to take him back.

There Blaine was, most of his day gone by without contact from any of his friends – or Kurt's friends that liked him because Kurt did – and he was almost to the choir room. He really didn't know how they were going to react to him being back.

He went up to the choir room and peered inside, seeing everyone sitting around, laughing and chatting with each other. At the last moment he decided against it, not wanting to face rejection. He could live without glee club. He had his guitar and he could sing for Kurt. It wasn't like he needed to perform or anything.

Oh, who was he kidding.

He needed the stage and the spotlight more than he needed _air_.

It was that need that pushed him through the door, causing the heads of all twelve members of the glee club to turn and look at him. They all frowned, looked unimpressed by his presence.

"Um…hi," Blaine said, waving at them. No one returned the motion. From the front row, Mercedes glared daggers at him. She was the only one he was worried about. She'd left a message on his phone the night before saying she'd cut him in his sleep for hurting her boo.

"Who do you think you are showing up here now of all times?" Quinn asked from the back row.

"Shouldn't you be off hanging yourself or something?" Santana snapped.

"Or ruining Kurt's life?" Tina added.

"Why don't you just go lie on some train tracks," Lauren Zizes chimed in.

"Next time you skip town, try not to come back," Puck huffed.

Blaine tried to ignore the ache in his chest as he turned away, reading to do just that. As he turned around, he came face to face with Mr. Schuester.

"Blaine! It's great to see you again. Will you be joining us again for rehearsal? I've got the perfect song in mind, you can do a duet with Mercedes," he said.

"Hell to the no, Mr. Schue, I'm not singing no song with _him_." Mercedes stood up and slung her backpack over her shoulder and stomped out of the choice room.

"For once I'm with Mercedes. Later." Santana stood and strode out of the room, swaying her hips the whole way.

"I'm with Santana," Artie said. He rolled himself out, Brittany following him quickly.

Blaine looked at the remaining members, pausing to look each of them in the eye to gauge what they thought of him.

"It's ok for you guys all to hate me," Blaine said. "I know that I abandoned you, and I hurt Kurt. I made some stupid mistakes. I just hope you'll find it in your hearts to give me another chance. I can help you guys win Nationals this year."

"What makes you think we need your help?" Rachel questioned from the back row.

"You don't," Blaine said. "It just…couldn't hurt. Please. I know I have no right to ask this of you, but please let me be part of this. What you guys have is special and when I was singing with you guys before, it helped me forget about all the problems at home with Kurt. You guys are the only friends I've got."

The remaining members of the New Directions eyed him skeptically, wondering if Blaine really meant what he said. He knew his words alone couldn't express how he felt. He sighed and looked around the room, at all their faces, at Mr. Schuester's confused look, and over at the instruments on one side of the room. He sighed and walked over, plucking an acoustic guitar off the stand. No one protested as he sat on a stool and plucked at the strings for a minute.

"_Let me run with you tonight  
><em>_I'll take you on a moonlight ride  
><em>_There's someone I used to see  
><em>_But he don't give a damn for me"_

Finn rose from his seat and Blaine anticipated him to leave, but he went behind Blaine and picked up a pair of drumsticks. He began to pound out a steady, drawling beat behind Blaine's guitar.

"_But let me get to the point, let's roll another joint  
><em>_And turn the radio loud, I'm too alone to be proud  
><em>_You don't know how it feels  
><em>_You don't know how it feels to be me"_

Puck stood as well and headed over, picking up a harmonica and sitting on the stool beside Blaine.

"_People come and people go  
><em>_Some grow young and some grow cold  
><em>_I woke up in between  
><em>_A memory and a dream"_

The expressions on everyone's faces seemed to grow softer, but Blaine's eyes were closed as he sang. He'd learned the song from riding in the car with Burt, and he felt like it was perfect.

"_So let's get to the point, let's roll another joint  
><em>_Let's head on down the road  
><em>_There's somewhere I gotta go  
><em>_You don't know how it feels to be me."_

He strummed the guitar a few more times before standing and setting it back in its stand. There was a hesitant applause from his peers as he turned back to face them, a hopeful look on his face. He brushed a lock of curly hair away from his eyes – he really should consider getting a haircut –and glanced over at Mr. Schuester.

"That was great, Blaine," the teacher said. It was tense for a moment as they waiting for the members of New Directions to say something.

Finally, Rachel stood. She had a look on her face like she was going to walk out as well, but instead she crossed the room and flung her arms around Blaine's neck, hugging him tightly.

"I missed you so much, bear," Rachel said, pressing her face into his shoulder. "I didn't think we'd ever see you again."

Blaine smiled and hugged her back, changing a glance over at the others. In a matter of seconds, he was surrounded by Quinn, Tina, Puck, Mike, and Lauren. Finn remained by the drums, looking at Blaine like he didn't deserve the forgiveness he was getting.

"Don't you ever leave us like that again!" Quinn threatened playfully. She could pretend all day long that she didn't like him and that she was better than him, but like most people she was unable to resist his charm.

"I'm here to stay," Blaine promised. "Kurt and I, we have a deal. I'm not allowed to leave you guys."

"We miss Kurt, too!" Tina said. Blaine smiled sympathetically at her. He missed Kurt too and he got to see him every day.

"Well, maybe I could talk Kurt into needing a little shopping trip with his girls," Blaine suggested as Rachel finally let him go. Rachel, Tina, and Quinn actually squealed with happiness, which Blaine did not expect. "You guys have to get Mercedes, Santana, and Brittany to go too, otherwise Kurt will be crushed."

"They'll go anywhere for him," Rachel said. "But you have to come too, bear."

"I don't know. I figure by now Kurt's dying to have some time away from me." Blaine shrugged, knowing it wasn't true. Kurt nearly cried when Blaine left for school that morning.

"We're happy you came back." Tina moved to the front and hugged Blaine. "We didn't want to have to hunt you down and kill you for leaving us."

Everyone laughed until Mr. Schuester interrupted them with a loud clap of his hands.

"Alright, guys. We gotta rehearse for regionals!"

. ~ . ~ .

_November 24, 2011_

_3:14 PM_

On Thanksgiving Day, the Hudson-Hummel-Anderson house was _full_ of people. There was of course Burt, Carole, Finn, Kurt, and Blaine. But there was also a hell of a lot of other people including Rachel and her dads. Carole's sister Gina, her husband Don, and their two daughters Marina and Sarah. Burt's brother Mike and his wife Carrie and their son Jackson. Both Carole's and Burt's parents were there. There was barely enough room in the house for them all.

And _all_ of them wanted to give all their attention to Kurt.

They wanted to help push his wheelchair or fix his plate for him or hand feed him like he was an invalid. This pissed him off.

Finally, before everyone was settled around the extended table, Kurt blew up and exclaimed that the only person allowed to help him from now on was Blaine and everyone else should just leave him the hell alone.

Some had been offended by this, others understanding. Kurt was left alone.

When everyone had plates of food and were settled, Burt and Carole stood at the head of the table and gathered everyone's attention.

"We have a lot to be thankful for this year," Burt began. "Our lives were turned around after the accident earlier this year. We almost lost Kurt. It was a really tough time for us, but he's strong. He pulled through and now he's sitting here with us today. I am so thankful for his strength because if we lost him, I'm not sure what I would've done."

"The doctors keep telling us that Kurt will never be the same. But look at him. He's getting so much better. He might even get to go back to school and graduate on time. There's a possibility he'll get to walk again," Carole said, smiling at Kurt, who was blushing a little and gripping Blaine's hand tightly under the table.

"While everyone told us that we might lose our son, we didn't lose anything," Burt continued.

"In fact, we gained something. We gained strength as a family. We gained love and respect for each other. And we gained another member of our family. Another son." Carole smiled at Blaine, who glanced around at everyone who turned to look at him.

"We are so thankful that we can all be here today," Burt said. "With Kurt. And with Blaine. The two of you boys have shown the world what it means to overcome any obstacle that life could throw at you. We are so proud and so thankful."

There was a small applause around the table as Burt declared that it was time to dig in to the delicious meal that Carole prepared. The house was full of the sounds of silverware clanking against plates and the scrape of forks and knives as people began to eat as much as they could as fast as they could chew it.

"So, Blaine, how did you and Kurt meet?" Kurt's cousin Jackson asked around a mouthful of food.

"I attended Dalton Academy, where Kurt spent half a semester," Blaine replied. Jackson raised an eyebrow.

"We were in glee club together," Kurt added. Jackson nodded. Blaine looked between them, noticing that they didn't even look related. Jackson had inherited all of his dad's features, who looked exactly like Burt, while Kurt was a mirror image of everyone on his mother's side.

"Does your mother's family ever come to any of these things?" Blaine asked Kurt quietly, so only he could hear. Kurt shook his head sadly.

"No. They never really cared for my dad and they weren't all as accepting of me as my mother was. Really uptight religious family. My grandma sends me two hundred bucks at Christmas every year thinking that would make up for it, but I haven't seen any of them since before she died. They didn't even come to her funeral." Kurt looked down at his plate, frowning sadly. Blaine squeezed Kurt's knee under the table, thankful that Kurt could still feel even if he couldn't move.

"I love you," Blaine said, just loud enough for Kurt. It made the younger boy smile as he continued to eat the small portions on his plate.

"You boys are like…together?" Carole's sister Gina asked, observing how close they were. Blaine glanced between her and Carole and could instantly tell that Carole hadn't specifically told them that Kurt and Blaine were gay, and more importantly gay with each other.

"Yes," Kurt said confidently. "Blaine is my boyfriend."

Blaine smiled at how easily Kurt could say it, how confident he was in their relationship.

"Oh," Gina said, looking down at her plate. "Good for you, then."

"How did you know you were…you know…like _that_," Gina's husband Don asked. Both Kurt and Blaine were suddenly uncomfortable, and everyone could see that. Carole hadn't told them, but they would be the first in her entire family to be openly gay, so they were curious.

"It's just something you always know." It was one of Rachel's dad's, Adam, that spoke. All eyes turned to him. "I realized when I was seven."

Dinner was awkward for a while after that as everyone went back to eating. It was quiet until Finn asked if anyone wanted to watch the Buckeyes game after dinner. All of the men except Kurt agreed enthusiastically, and suddenly they were all eating even faster than they were before.

When they were done and the men were gathering in the living room to watch the game, Kurt volunteered to help the women clean up. He hadn't been very happy when Blaine left him for the football game, and he'd let Blaine know it with his rejected look, but he knew that Blaine deserved to do something he loved.

"So, Kurt, he seems like a nice boy." His Aunt Carrie – he's dad's brother's wife – said as Kurt rolled into the kitchen with a stack of plates balanced in his lap.

"I love him," Kurt stated with a nod. He put the plates on the counter and maneuvered his chair so he could get out without being too much in the way. The kitchen was anything but wheelchair friendly, but he managed.

"Well I'm glad you found someone to make you happy," Aunt Carrie said. After that, no one mentioned Kurt's relationship, which Kurt was thankful for.

. ~ . ~ .

Blaine came out of the living room to see Kurt sitting by the table, listening to the women gossiping. He didn't seem to be paying much attention to what they were saying, so Blaine snuck up behind him and startled him out of his own world when he wrapped his arms around his neck.

"Hey there," Blaine whispered in his ear. He kissed the soft skin below Kurt's ear, ignoring the stares of Kurt's nosy family members. Kurt reached up and laced his fingers with Blaine's.

"Good game?" Kurt asked.

"Not really," Blaine said. "You're much more interesting."

Kurt smiled and blushed. He was about to asked Blaine if he wanted to take him upstairs so they could be alone for a while – sometimes being around a lot of people gave him a headache – but the ringing of the doorbell interrupted him.

Carole was about to get up to answer it, but Blaine insisted that he do it. He kissed Kurt on the cheek again and walked with a happy skip in his step as he reached to the door. With a smile on his face, he reached for the door handle and opened the door.

His smile faded instantly when he recognized the two people standing on the other side.

He was looking right at his parents.

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><p>Let me know what you though. Your reviews are like drugs!<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

I do not own.

A/N: Here you guys go. The song at the end is You and Me by Lifehouse. Reviews are love!

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><p>Blaine was shocked at the familiar faces. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't call them Mom and Dad. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson just seemed awkward. He didn't want to talk to them at all. He just stared at them, gripping the door so hard his knuckles were turning white. Finally, his mother spoke.<p>

"Oh sweetie, it's so nice to see you again." Carla Anderson stepped towards him, but he took a step back.

"What are you doing here?" Blaine croaked, his voice getting caught in his throat.

"We've come to bring you home," Carla said. "I've missed you so much, and I couldn't stand letting you live your life without us being a part of it."

"I don't want you in my life," Blaine snapped. He refused to look at his father, who remained silent and stoic.

"Don't be silly, son." Carla stepped back, folding her hands in front of her and looking at him with adoring, oblivious eyes. "It took us forever to find you."

"Did you ever think that maybe I didn't want to be found?" Blaine said, his voice low and hurt, letting his parents know he didn't want to see them. He moved to slam the door shut, but his father stepped forward and stopped the door with the palm of his hand. Blaine stiffened, still trying to close the door. His father was a much larger man, having not passes his size onto his son.

"Blaine? Who is it?" Kurt's voice was close, and Blaine turned around to see Kurt navigating through the house to come see what was keeping his boyfriend.

"Kurt, go back into the dining room," Blaine snapped. Kurt didn't listen – he never did in times like this – and wheeled himself up to the door.

"You're living with _him_?" Jack Anderson questioned, sounding disgusted. Kurt's eyes widened when he recognized Blaine's parents. He slowly inched his wheelchair away from the doorway.

"Yes I am, because you kicked me out and he loves me," Blaine answered. He reached back and grasped Kurt's hand, tugging him forward.

"Son, we had to come back," Carla said. She was deliriously sweet sounding and it made Blaine sick, like he was going to throw up all the delicious food that Carole had cooked. Carole, who was more than a mother to him than Carla had ever been.

"You may be…_homosexual_…but you are still an Anderson and we cannot have you throwing away this family's legacy for…for…for some _boy_ in a wheelchair!" Jack raised his voice and stepped closer to the door. Blaine threw open the door and let go of Kurt's hand.

"Dad!" Kurt shouted, trying to turn around in the small space he had.

"Do _not_ talk about him like that." Blaine practically snarled as he balled his hands into fists. Jack was about to respond when Burt and Finn came running through to the door, responding to Kurt's distressed cry.

"What's going on?" Burt asked, first looking to see if Kurt was alright, then turning his gaze to Blaine, and then Blaine's parents. "Who the hell are you?"

"Blaine's parents!" Kurt said, letting Finn help him get away from the conflict about to happen.

Burt suddenly turned very,_ very_ scary looking. Like, if that intimidating look had ever been placed on Blaine, Blaine was sure he would crap himself. This was worse than when Burt had been angry at him for leaving Kurt and coming back.

"Get off my property," Burt said coldly. He put his hand on Blaine's shoulder and pushed him back into the house, stepping out on the porch. "Blaine, go inside and stay with Kurt."

Blaine didn't listen.

"We've just come for our son," Carla said, not fazed by Burt's intimidation. It was clear by the look on her face that in her mind, she looked down on Burt for his flannel shirt and Hummel Tires and Lube cap.

"Blaine lives with us now. He's eighteen. You have no place to tell him what to do," Burt said, stepping in front Blaine.

"Now just a minute." Jack Anderson looked as though he was going to challenge Burt. "Just let me tell my son what I came to tell him, and then he can make his choice. He can stay with you, putting himself in a position where he won't be afford a place to live when he's done with school let alone afford a good college. Or, he can come home with us and finish up his studies at Dalton, move on to a good Ivy League school, become a successful lawyer, and make something of himself."

Burt looked behind at Blaine, who for a second actually listened to his father. For a second, Blaine thought about the life he was depriving himself of. It was a life free of worries, full of financial security, and maybe when he was done with all that he could bring Kurt back into his life and they could get married. Maybe, if he did this, he could have the best of both worlds. If it hadn't been for the accident, it would've happened that way.

"Go on then," Blaine said. "Tell me what you came to tell me."

"Blaine, son, your mother and I…we came to tell you that we _both_ love you and miss you. I…I wanted to apologize for what I did. For what I said. I shouldn't have hit you like I did and I regret doing that every day. Things just aren't the same with you around and it would really mean a lot to us…to me if you would come home." Jack managed to sound sincere. Burt could see right through it, but Blaine almost looked swayed by his father's words.

"You'll accept who I am if I do?" Blaine asked, seeing joy spread over his mother's face as he considered it.

"Yes," Jack said, gritting his teeth as he did so.

Blaine was silent for a moment, staring at his parents, wondering what would happen if he went with them. If they would keep their word. If his life really could be better. Blaine glanced up at Burt to see what he thought of it, sure that Burt would look relieved to not have to have Blaine to worry about on top of his wheelchair bound son and less than intelligent stepson.

But Burt did not look relieved. He wasn't even angry. He looked _hurt_. He was hurt that Blaine would consider leaving him and Kurt and the family they had all built together in the last few months just because two people that couldn't truly love him gave him the promise of a better life.

"The choice is yours, Blaine," Burt said solemnly.

"What choice?"

Blaine turned around, surprised that Kurt was there, looking up at him with sparkling blue eyes, looking on the verge of tears. Blaine's eyebrows drew together as he glanced from Kurt to Burt to his parents.

"Well come on then, Blaine. Pack your things so we can take you home," Jack said, motioning for Blaine to come with them, sensing that Blaine had considered for just a moment coming with them.

"Wait a minute." Blaine held up a hand.

"Please don't leave me again," Kurt cried out suddenly. "I-if you leave…then I'll…I'll kill myself! If you leave. I will! In front of everyone."

"Kurt, please, I…" Blaine abandoned the door and stepped towards Kurt, who was frantically backing away, running his wheelchair into the wall.

"Just go! You never cared about me, did you? It was all a lie. Everything was a lie!" Kurt sobbed freely as he buried his face in his hands, his body shaking.

Blaine turned away from Kurt to face his parents. He gave them one last look, letting them think he was going to do it when really, his heart was desperately trying to pull him towards Kurt.

"I think…" Blaine cringed when Kurt let out one particularly pained sob. He eyed Burt out of the corner of his eye, who just stood and watched as his son fell apart right there. Finally, Blaine met the eyes of his father and straightened up. "I think you can go to hell. Now I'd appreciate it if you left. Immediately."

He slammed the door shut right in their faces.

In an instant he was on his knees in front of Kurt, trying to pry his hands away from his face.

"Kurt, please, look at me. Kurt! You have to look at me, _please_," Blaine pleaded, clutching at Kurt's hands. Kurt sobbed loudly, loud enough to catch the attention of the family, who gathered and were all staring at the spectacle before them.

"You were going to leave…leave me…again…I love you and you were going to leave me!" Kurt sobbed as he tried to pulled his hands out of Blaine's but Blaine's grip was too tight.

"Look at me, Kurt, please. Look me in the eye," Blaine said seriously. It took Kurt a moment, but he finally raised his head enough that his blue eyes met Blaine's golden ones. It was all Blaine could do not to cry at the pain in Kurt's expression. He saw pain, betrayal, and a hint of desperation in Kurt's expression.

"You promised you wouldn't," Kurt whimpered. "Blaine, I _need_ you."

"I know, Kurt. Please, you have to believe me. I _was not_ going to leave you. I just thought for a second maybe things could go back to the way they were, before the accident. But then I knew I couldn't be away from you. I've had a taste of the good life, Kurt. Seeing you every single day. I can't give that up. I love you so much." Blaine's hands moved to cup either side of Kurt's jaw. Kurt's cries turned silent as his shoulders shook. "Please believe me."

"I do," Kurt said. "I love you too."

"I gave you that ring for a reason," Blaine said. "I will always love you. _Always_."

Kurt nodded and grasped Blaine's hands, squeezing them tightly. After a few moments, he realized they were being watched. He visibly shrunk under everyone's pained, sympathetic gaze.

"I want to go upstairs," Kurt said. Blaine nodded and stood. As he made a move to lift Kurt into his arms, Burt put a hand on his shoulder.

"Kurt, is it ok if Finn takes you to your room? I want to talk to Blaine for a minute." Burt looked at his son, who nodded feebly and waited for Finn to come help him. Burt motioned for Blaine to follow him, and he offered the family a small smile to show that everything was going to be all right. They went out the back door and onto the porch.

It was chillingly silent for a long minute before Burt spoke.

"Thank you," Burt said. Blaine was almost shocked to hear it.

"F-for what?"

"For not going with them. For choosing this life full of challenges instead of taking the easy way out. For making me proud to have you as a part of this family," Burt told him. They sat down in two of the patio chairs.

"There wasn't a choice to be made. Kurt is my life. I couldn't leave him again," Blaine said. "But I won't deny that there was a moment where I let myself believe I could still be with him even if I went with them."

"You're a good guy, Blaine," Burt said. He let out a long sigh and leaned his arms on his thighs, looking over at Blaine. "Kurt wanted to tell you himself, so just act surprised when he does, but I thought you should know he's going back to school on Monday."

Blaine's eyes widened as he jerked his head up, looking at Burt in disbelief.

"He what?"

"He passed all the tests the doctor gave him, so we took him down to that school last week and got him enrolled again. He's just taking easy classes. Regular English and Government and some special tutoring to help him make up credits he lost last year. No advanced French or anything like that. If he works hard, he'll be able to graduate right alongside you and Finn," Burt explained.

"That's great!" Blaine said, grinning. Kurt was coming back to school, which meant they could eat lunch together and be in glee club together and he could Kurt to his classes just like he'd done when they'd been at Dalton together.

"He was adamant about being in that damn glee club, but he's going to have to miss rehearsals twice a week to do his physical therapy. He wants to walk by graduation." Burt shook his head in disbelief at the strength and determination of his son.

"A day doesn't go by where I'm not amazed by him," Blaine admitted quietly. Another silent moment passed before Blaine declared he should go up and be with Kurt. Burt agreed and before they both headed inside, the older man pulled Blaine into a tight embrace. He held Blaine tighter than Blaine's own father had ever dared.

Blaine decided it felt nice to be a part of a family so willing to love, and he would be foolish to ever give it up.

. ~ . ~ .

Kurt was lying on his bed watching Meet the Fockers on his laptop when Blaine got upstairs. Rachel was beside him, her head leaning against his shoulder, watching the movie with him. They both smiled up at Blaine as he quietly entered. Kurt motioned for him to come join them. He crawled across the mattress and settled beside Kurt, taking his boyfriend's soft hand in his.

He leaned close to Kurt, his lips brushing Kurt's ear as he whispered, "I love you."

Kurt smiled and squeezed his hand, not breaking his gaze from the laptop screen. The three of them stayed there like that until the movie was over and Rachel had to go home. Kurt and Blaine didn't leave the room for the rest of the night, not even to say goodbye when all of their family went home.

. ~ . ~ .

_November 28, 2011_

_1:25 PM_

The New Directions were discussing their latest assignment – songs about outer space because really, Mr. Schue was running out of ideas – when the door to the choir room opened to admit Kurt being pushed by Blaine. This time, Kurt entered not as a guest but a student.

It was his first day back.

He was greeted with cheers and hugs and kisses on the cheek from his friends before he demanded that everyone take their seats while he sang the song he had prepared. Blaine had helped him prepare for it all weekend, and at first Kurt had been devastated when he opened his mouth and the sound that came out was _awful_. With a lot of rehearsal, forty-seven refilled water bottles, and twenty-eight hurried trips to the bathroom, Kurt got his voice back in decent enough shape and was ready to dazzle his fellow glee clubbers.

"Since my voice isn't perfect yet, I'm singing this song as a duet with Blaine," Kurt announced, moving his wheelchair to the center of the room. He glanced at all of his friends, his eyes lingering on Artie's sympathetic smile. He nodded towards Blaine, who was adjusting the guitar strap around his neck. Blaine began to play the intro and Kurt sang first.

"_What day is it? And in what month?  
><em>_This clock never seemed so alive  
><em>_I can't keep up and I can't back down  
><em>_I've been losing so much time"_

Kurt and Blaine looked into each other's eyes, smiling as love flowed between them. Together they began to sing.

"_Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
><em>_Nothing to lose  
><em>_And it's you and me and all other people  
><em>_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you"_

Blaine strummed the guitar a few times and looked away from Kurt, closing his eyes as he sang the next part.

"_One of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right  
><em>_I'm tripping on words  
><em>_You've got my head spinning  
><em>_I don't know where to go from here"_

Smiling and looking out at their friends, they sang the chorus together again.

"_Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
><em>_Nothing to lose  
><em>_And it's you and me and all other people  
><em>_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you"_

Then looking back at each other, they joined into the next verse. Kurt sang the first two lines,

"_There's something about you now  
><em>_I can't quite figure it out_"

And Blaine cut in with the next lines,

"_Everything he does is beautiful  
><em>_Everything he does is right_"

Joining together again, their love and passion for music mingling together as they finished the rest of the song.

"_Cause It's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do  
><em>_Nothing to lose  
><em>_And it's you and me and all other people  
><em>_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you  
><em>_And me and all other people with nothing to do  
><em>_Nothing to prove  
><em>_And it's you and me and all other people  
><em>_And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you"_

"_What day is it?  
><em>_And in what month?  
><em>_This clock never seemed so alive."_

As they ended the song, everyone broke out in cheers, jumping to their feet and applauding them. A few of the girls even had tears in their eyes, declaring that the whole performance was just beautiful.

They swarmed forward to embrace Kurt, and Blaine was surprised to be included in the group hug.

Through all of their friends, Kurt and Blaine's eyes met and they smiled. At that moment the two of them simultaneously decided that it was impossible to love someone more than they loved each other.

* * *

><p>Let me know what you though :)<p>

A/N: Still not over folks. There's probably going to be about 20 chapters to this.


	14. Chapter 14

I do not own Glee.

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and alerts and favorites. You're probably getting tired of all the songs in these chapters, so I promise this is the last one! Also, I have the rest of the story planned out and there will be 19 chapters in total. Thanks for the support and reviews are much appreciated!

* * *

><p><em>January 6, 2012<em>

_6:15 PM_

"We have a wonderful physical therapy facility that I guarantee your son with thrive in, Mr. Hummel." Kendra Reynolds grinned widely at the family before her. They looked like an odd bunch, but she learned right off the bat that her speech was best directed to the tall man dressed in flannel, Burt Hummel, and the boy in the wheelchair.

"We're not looking for a place for him to stay. We want him to stay at home with us." So spoke the annoying curly haired one that kept interrupting her. She also learned from the beginning of the tour that he was a bit of a pushy loud mouth who thought he knew best for the boy in the wheelchair. At first she thought he was the brother, but now the relationship was undetermined.

"We have an outpatient option as well. Therapy sessions can happen as little as once a week and as often as twice a day, depending on the patient's needs. We can start you on a simply three day a week program that should have you on your feet before spring break." She plastered on her most fake smile in an attempt to win over the family, who looked at her skeptically.

"This place sounds really good." Wheelchair boy, Kurt, looked up at his father and his curly haired companion. It was the first time she heard him speak, and Kendra almost cringed at the boy's high pitched voice. Then she realized. Of course. He was gay and the attention whore pushing the chair was his "partner". In an effort to keep the customer – cough, cough – she means _patient_, she ignored this little development.

"I know the price is a little much, but that's because we guarantee results!" Kendra said brightly, glad to finally be talking money.

"Money isn't a problem," the father said gruffly from behind the obnoxious kid. "The family of the driver who caused the accident is paying for Kurt's care."

"Excellent," Kendra said cheerfully.

"I don't know." Obnoxious loud mouth spoke up again. Wheelchair boy looked up at his "partner", eyebrows drawn together.

"What's wrong, Blaine?" Wheelchair boy reached for Blaine's – seriously, how much gayer of a name could you give a kid – hand and Kendra had to fight the nausea in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't particularly fond of _this kind_ of affection between two members of the male species.

"I just think we should check out the other two places on our list before we decide," Obnoxious said. Wheelchair nodded and looked up at Dad, who seemed to agree with Obnoxious.

_Damn_. She needed something to salvage this.

"We have proven to show faster results than any other facility in Ohio," Kendra said. Cue fake smile again.

"How is my son going to be treated here?" Dad asked, stepping closer to Obnoxious and Wheelchair. Behind him stood Wife and Frankenteen, who was clearly stepbrother because he looked nothing like Dad or Wheelchair.

"Like a prince," Kendra lied. "We only give the best to our patients. Family is welcome to sit in on sessions, but we much prefer a more private setting when helping them."

"Good. I'll be sitting in with Kurt for all of them," Obnoxious declared. Wheelchair gave him a small smile and it was easy to tell that he trusted Obnoxious more than anyone in the world. If she wanted the cash, she was going to have deal with the curly haired menace. It was ok. They had trained physical therapists back there who could make it look like they were actually taking care of these people.

"Perfect. It is of course, the patient's choice, but if this facility sounds like the right fit, we can have you start tomorrow, Kyle." Kendra grinned, this time for real.

"My name is Kurt." Wheelchair frowned at her.

"Of course. I'm sorry. Kurt." She smiled sincerely and looked up at Obnoxious. "And you were?"

"Blaine," he said coldly. The look in his eyes told her that he knew what was going on here.

"Yes. Blaine," she said. She held out a hand to shake his, but he refused it. "Why don't we begin working out a schedule?"

. ~ . ~ .

_January 7, 2012_

_11:14 AM_

"I'm going to walk again, Blaine. This is so _exciting_!" Kurt grinned happily as Blaine helped him into his chair. Kurt could now move his feet, but his mobility was limited.

"It's going to take a long time, Kurt, and we don't even know if the physical therapy is going to work," Blaine said, pushing Kurt's chair. He didn't want to be pessimistic, but he wanted Kurt to have realistic expectations. This was just one step and there were so many more to take before Kurt would be back to his old self. They didn't even know if he _could_ be back to his old self.

"I know that, Blaine. It's just nice to hope, isn't it? I mean, maybe I can actually get to my bedroom by myself someday." Kurt folded his arms in front of him. They went inside the building and were instantly led into one of the back rooms where a pleasant looking woman in scrubs introduced herself as Regina Philip. She announced to them that she was going to help Kurt walk.

Blaine scoffed at this and sat in the corner, watching for the next hour as Regina Philip helped Kurt stretch and work the weak muscles of his legs. He wanted to be skeptical. He didn't trust the people at this place to take care of his Kurt, but seeing the look on Kurt's face when he made even the most miniscule amount of progress seemed to make everything worth it.

. ~ . ~ .

_January 9, 2012_

_2:14 PM_

"Regionals is early this year, guys, and we have less than a month to prepare. Now we're going to keep up our tradition of boys versus girls for the group number this year, I'd also like to do one duet, and one solo. Now to be fair, we can hold auditions, but I think that maybe Kurt should do a solo," Mr. Schue stood in front of the New Directions on Monday morning, his hands clasped in front of them as he looked at his students.

"With all due respect, Mr. Schue, I'd really rather audition for a duet. With Blaine." Kurt glanced at his boyfriend lovingly and reached out to slip his hand into Blaine's.

"Then the two of you are going to have to audition," Mr. Schue said.

"Yeah Kurt, this is a solo. You should take it. I've been in the spotlight plenty of times," Blaine said, squeezing Kurt's hand.

"No," Kurt said adamantly. "I want to sing at Regionals, but I only want to do it if Blaine is singing with me."

"As much as I admire your guys' vocal chemistry, after your rendition of 'Candles' at last year's Regionals completion and the fact that it subsequently caused the Warblers to lose, I'm not sure the two of you singing together is a good thing." Rachel was perched on the edge of her chair, full on in business mode, ignoring the fact that Kurt was now glaring up at her with tears welling up in his blue eyes.

"Are you _stupid_, Rachel?" Quinn snapped from the other side of the room. "He's in a _wheelchair_. Think of the sympathy votes we'll get."

At this comment, Kurt wrenched his hand out of Blaine's and wheeled himself forward. He spun around to face the glee club trying desperately not to look like he was about to cry.

"If you only want to _give_ me a solo so we can get sympathy votes to win, then I'm out. I want to _audition_ for a duet with Blaine, and I want to get it because of our outstanding vocal talent that clearly outshines even yours, Rachel. I _don't_ want to get the opportunity to perform because I'm in a fucking wheelchair!" Kurt shouted the last words before spinning his wheelchair around and pushing quickly towards the door.

Blaine allowed him the satisfaction of slamming the door shut before he chased after Kurt. Before he left, he turned back to the silent New Directions and shook his head.

"Hope you guys are happy."

Blaine left and glanced around the hallway, looking for Kurt. He wandered around until he found Kurt outside the boys bathroom, hunched over in his chair, his hands gripping the wheels tight with his fingerless glove covered hands. His shoulder shook with quiet sobs and Blaine walked up to him until there was only four feet between them.

"They're using me," Kurt said in the midst of his tears, his voice higher pitched than usual.

"Kurt…no. No they aren't. They're your friends. They love you." Blaine slipped his hands in his pockets and watched Kurt, waiting for him to make some movement to say that he needed him.

"I hate this stupid wheelchair." Kurt sniffled, wiped his nose on his glove, then looked up at Blaine.

"You know, I kinda like it," Blaine said, raising a single eyebrow and smirking. Kurt looked up and plucked a few tears from the corner of his eyes with the tips of his fingers.

"Why?" Kurt sniffled again.

"This is the only way I'll ever get to feel tall." Blaine shrugged. Kurt laughed out loud and covered his mouth. His cheeks were tinted pink and it made Blaine smile.

"You're such a hobbit," Kurt giggled. Blaine just grinned and gave Kurt the satisfaction of knowing that once he was back on his feet and walking again, then he would be taller than Blaine once more.

"It's something I can't help." Blaine shrugged. He stepped closer to Kurt and slowly lowered himself, leaning his arm on the arm of the wheelchair and looking up at Kurt. "What do you say we go back? Tonight we can start working on the perfect duet to knock them off their feet."

Kurt smiled and nodded before leaning over to kiss Blaine quickly on the lips.

"I love you," Kurt said softly.

"I love you too." Blaine reached out and squeezed Kurt's hand before rising to his feet once more.

. ~ . ~ .

_January 19, 2012_

_2:23 PM_

"Alright guys, after over a week of tough competition, are you guys ready to hear who I've chosen, with the help of Ms. Pillsbury, to sing the solo and the duet?" Mr. Schuester held a piece of paper in front of him and looked at the excited, nervous faces of the New Directions.

"Yes!" The glee club replied.

"You may all be surprised at my choices, but I believe given the theme of romance…"

He paused just long enough to hear someone that sounded like Kurt say, "We have so got this."

"…for this year's Regionals competition, our soloist is, singing Uncle Kracker's 'Smile', Noah Puckerman!" Mr. Schue smiled as a few of the students groaned at their loss, while others congratulated Puck. "And the winners of our duets competition are…singing Cher and Peter Cetera's 'After All (Love Them from Chances Are)' Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson!"

There was no groaning or disappointment that followed this announcement. The whole glee club cheered and congratulated the couple who, after all they had been through, deserved to have their dreams come true more than any of the rest of them combined.

. ~ . ~ .

_February 11, 2012_

_6:55 AM_

"Come on, Blaine! The bus for Regionals leaves at eight and I am _not_ going on stage with unwashed hair!" Kurt shoved his boyfriend hard in the shoulder. Blaine just groaned and pulled the blankets over his head. They'd stayed up until almost two in the morning perfected their duet until the point where they were almost hoarse, and then they drank some kind of herbal tea Kurt had to restore their voices, but it was laced with caffeine. This gave them enough energy to engage in a little pre-competition making out.

By the time they finally fell asleep, it was damn near time to get up.

"You suck," Kurt snapped.

"Only you," Blaine grumbled, knowing Kurt always blushed furiously whenever Blaine said things like that.

Kurt huffed and pushed the blankets off himself. He'd been doing physical therapy for a month now and the progress he'd been making was amazing. The people who worked with him were extremely encouraging. Most of their sessions involved balance exercises and intense pep talks, but Kurt was convinced he could show a still skeptical Blaine that he was making progress.

Using the impressively well-developed muscles in his arms, he pushed himself up until he was sitting. He felt the muscles in his legs tingle and he wanted to make them work. He could move his feet, but whenever he focused really hard and tried to make his legs move, the muscles in his calf would seize up and refuse to respond.

He wouldn't let it stop him this time. He was ready to use his hands to move his legs if he needed, but he didn't want to have to. He put all of his energy into just thinking _move, move, come on and move, damn it!_ Until finally his leg moved.

It was a small, subtle movement, but he drew his right leg up off the bed a few inches, planting his foot firmly against the mattress to hold it there.

"Kurt? What are you doing?" Blaine asked, sounding not as sleepy as he had. Kurt looked to see Blaine sitting up, watching.

"Getting up," Kurt said. He smiled and focused on moving. He scooted so his hip was right on the edge of the bed and moved his left leg to the side enough that if slipped off the edge and his foot hit the floor with a thud.

"Kurt…you're moving!" Blaine found himself unable to do anything but watch as his boyfriend maneuvered himself so that he was sitting up, both feet planted firmly on the floor.

"I did it," Kurt said, in awe.

"You're so amazing." Blaine scooted so he was sitting beside Kurt.

"I-I don't think I can stand, though," Kurt said. "They aren't…they aren't strong enough yet."

"It's fine," Blaine said. He climbed off the bed and got the wheelchair, sitting it beside the bed. He stood in front of Kurt and held out his arms.

"What are you doing?" Kurt asked. He hesitantly reached up and gripped Blaine's upper arms, feeling Blaine's hands circle around his arms as well.

"Don't be afraid to try, Kurt. I'll catch you if you fall," Blaine promised.

Kurt looked at the wheelchair, then up at Blaine.

"I trust you," Kurt said softly. He gripped Blaine's arms impossibly tight and began to pull himself up. He felt his weak legs begin to crumple underneath him, and Blaine was there in an instant, helping him back down on the bed.

"It's ok. I'll support you," Blaine whispered, his face right beside Kurt's. He circled his arms around Kurt's waist and at the same time, Blaine pulled Kurt up as Kurt braced himself on Blaine's shoulders. With Blaine supporting most of Kurt's weight, Kurt was on his feet just long enough to move toward the wheelchair. Blaine helped him lower himself slowly into the chair and when it was all done, they were both breathing heavily.

"That was…"

"You stood up," Blaine said proudly.

"You were holding me up," Kurt countered.

"You were on your feet. I was just supporting you." Blaine smiled at Kurt encouragingly. Kurt tugged him down until he was kneeling in front of him. Kurt leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Blaine's.

Softly, almost inaudibly, Kurt whispered, "Thank you."

. ~ . ~ .

_Later that morning_

_8:09 AM_

"You guys are late!" Rachel practically screeched as Blaine hurriedly tried to help Kurt out of Carole's car. Finn had left earlier that morning because Kurt wasn't done with his skin moisturizing, and Carole graciously just asked Burt for a ride to work and let Blaine and Kurt take her car.

"I'm sorry!" Blaine snapped. "You know how Kurt is about his skin!"

"If my skin breaks out, it's your fault!" Kurt jabbed a finger pointedly at Rachel as Blaine hurriedly pushed Kurt towards the bus. They had almost been faced with another problem of not having a handicap accessible bus, but once more the family of the driver who caused the accident stepped up and donated the money to the school.

"Just get on the bus, _quickly_!" Rachel was nearly panicking. Mr. Schue looked a little antsy as well, and Blaine muttered a quick apology to him. The bus driver started helping Kurt and the wheelchair onto the lift when Kurt let out a distressed squawk.

"Blaine! My bag! It's in the car. Hurry! You have to get it. Please, Blaine you have to get it!" Kurt shouted.

"There isn't time, Kurt," Blaine said.

"Please!" Kurt pleaded. Blaine looked at their teacher, who mouthed the word 'run'. Blaine nodded and took off, sprinting towards Carole's car. He dug the keys out of the pocket of his jeans. Adrenaline pumping through his veins made his hands shake, and he dropped the keys twice before managing to unlock the car and grab Kurt's messenger bag from the backseat.

The bus was starting up and already rolling towards the entrance of the parking lot when Blaine returned. He was completely out of breath as he made his way back to where Kurt sat in the special wheelchair spot, across from Artie. He handed Kurt his bag and moved to sit in the seat behind Kurt, but Kurt grabbed his hand.

"Wait, here." Kurt reached into his bag and took out a thermos. "It's the tea. It'll make your voice even more perfect."

"Blaine, sit down please!" Mr. Schue called from the front of the bus. Blaine leaned over to kiss Kurt on the cheek right as the bus driver stepped on the brakes, sending an off balance Blaine toppling over and landing at Kurt's feet.

"Blaine!" Kurt tried to help him, but he couldn't do anything. Blaine pulled himself up and crawled to his seat, clutching the thermos and closing his eyes. Across the aisle, Mercedes was laughing at him.

"You two are ridiculous," Mercedes giggled. Blaine rolled his eyes and unscrewed the lid of the thermos. "Why were you late?"

"I was moisturizing," Kurt snapped. Mercedes laughed even louder. "My _face_!"

"Are you sure that's _all _you were moisturizing?" Mercedes snorted with laughter, now joined by Tina, Santana, Puck, and Artie.

"Yes!" Kurt tried to hide his blush as he turned his head back to face the front. "I'm not talking to any of you."

Blaine just laughed and took a long sip of the warm tea.

. ~ . ~ .

_11:25 AM_

It was weird, being backstage and watching the Warblers perform. They had a new soloist, who wasn't as good as Blaine, but he was alright. He was good enough to give the Warblers a chance against any group that didn't have Blaine in it. Blaine felt a little guilty for switching sides on them, but he was happier with Kurt.

When they were done and they came backstage, his old friends almost didn't recognize him. He was a lot different than the dapper Blaine Anderson they remembered. Here he was wearing black jeans and a black button down with a dark purple tie and hair so wild and that it looked like he hadn't touched a comb to it in months.

The first one to approach him after their performance had been a quite member of the group named Taylor who had been Blaine's first crush at Dalton but despite a bi-curious moment in which he dared to steal a kiss from Blaine against the wall in the boy's bathroom, Taylor was devastatingly interested in girls.

"Hi, Blaine," Taylor said. The mention of his name caught the attention of a few other Warblers.

"Hi," Blaine offered them a small smile as he stood behind Kurt. The group of boys realized Kurt was there to, having not recognized him in the wheelchair.

"You guys…you guys look a lot different," Taylor said, glancing between them.

"I know," Blaine said. "Accidents can do that to people."

He tried not to focus too much on the Warblers, on the past that he had and the life that could've been. He cheered on Puck as he went out to do his solo, and then knelt down in front of an incredibly nervous looking Kurt. Taking Kurt's hands in his, he brought them up to his lips and kissed Kurt's knuckles.

"You got this, babe," Blaine said. "Your voice is perfect. I know we're gonna win."

"But what if it's like last year and they don't like us because we're gay?" Kurt asked worriedly.

"They won't," Blaine promised.

"How do you know?"

"Because the judges are a democrat, a gay former show choir champion, and a human rights activist. We've got this one." Blaine kissed Kurt's knuckles again before standing. Puck's song was nearing its close and Blaine was pretty sure all the girls in the audience _died_.

Then before Blaine knew it, he was pushing Kurt out on the stage and stopping in the center. He shared one long, loving glance with Kurt before the curtains rose, revealing them to a cheering audience.

And then the music began.

Blaine took a deep breath and lifted his microphone up. Then he began to sing.

"_Well, here we are again  
><em>_I guess it must be fate  
><em>_We've tried on our own  
><em>_But deep inside we've known  
><em>_We'd be back to set things straight._"

Blaine trailed off and his last words were met with encouraging cheers from the audience. Kurt lifted his own microphone with shaking hands.

"_I still remember when  
><em>_Your kiss was so brand new  
><em>_Every memory repeats  
><em>_Every step I take retreats  
><em>_Every journey always brings me back to you."_

The two boys turned to face each other, smiling with all their eyes full of love. They moved into the chorus together, their voices strong and blending beautifully.

"_After all the stops and starts  
><em>_We keep coming back to these two hearts  
><em>_Two angles who've been rescued from the fall  
><em>_After all that we've been through"_

Kurt belted out the line,

"_It all comes down to me and you"_

And Blaine followed with,

"_I guess it's meant to be forever you and me"_

Together they sang,

"_After all"_

Much to their surprise, the audience was on their feet, swaying back and forth, cheering for them and singing along and some of them had tears in their eyes. Kurt tore his eyes away from Blaine and focused on the audience.

"_When love is truly right, it lives from year to year  
><em>_And it changes as it goes and on the way it grows  
><em>_But it never disappears"_

Blaine joined him once more as they sang the chorus.

"_After all the stops and starts  
><em>_We keep coming back to these two hearts  
><em>_Two angels who've been rescued from the fall  
><em>_After all that we've been through  
><em>_It all comes down to me and you  
><em>_I guess it's meant to be forever you and me  
><em>_After all"_

Blaine stepped away from Kurt and took a deep breath, belting out the next line with all the passion and emotion that had built up over the rough ride of their lives since the accident.

"_Always just beyond my touch  
><em>_You know I needed you so much"_

Kurt followed with equal emotion,

"_After all, what else is living for?_"

Together they joined for one last repeat of the chorus before the song came to an end. They were greeted with a powerful standing ovation. The spotlight was directly on Kurt, whose eyes were wide and bright as stars. Blaine grinned at the pure joy on Kurt's face.

Kurt hadn't been that happy since…well…

Blaine had _never_ seen Kurt that happy. Not ever.

. ~ . ~ .

The New Directions were joined on stage with the familiar company of the Warblers and Aural Intensity. The audience applauded for them, and Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand tightly as he grinned. It was hard to believe that a little less than a year before, they'd been in the same position.

A short, plump man waddled out on stage with an envelope in one hand and a microphone in the other. He grumbled something about traffic on the south bound highway, and then pulled open the envelope.

"The team moving on to Nationals, which is in New York City again this year, is…" He drew out the silence as he studied the paper in the envelope, then he announced, "The New Directions!"

The group erupted in cheers around them, hugging Kurt and Blaine, screaming and cheering. Blaine threw his arms around Kurt and kissed him hard, not caring who saw. When he pulled back, Kurt was grinning, his cheeks flushed lightly pink.

Blaine knew that _this_ was the happiest Kurt had ever been. He had helped them win Regionals and he was _finally_ going to New York, just like he'd dreamed.

And seeing Kurt so happy, so full of joy, made Blaine the happiest he'd ever been too.

* * *

><p>Let me know what you thought :)<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

I do not own.

A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews. Keep it up! Also, I promise this is the last of the angst.

* * *

><p><em>April 2, 2012<em>

_9:45 PM_

"Alright, ladies. Are we all here?" Kurt looked at the group of girls around him. Rachel, Tina, Brittany, Santana, Mercedes, and Quinn stood around him, awaiting their instructions.

"I think so? Why are we doing it now, boo? If I'm late to math one more time I'm gonna have to make up the class," Mercedes said.

"Well as you all know I have been doing physical therapy for over three months now and it's been helping me move. Exhibit A." He motioned to his legs were where crossed gingerly in his wheelchair. "You also know that prom is less than three weeks away and with it almost being spring break, I wanted to surprise Blaine by giving him the best prom proposal ever. We've been rehearsing this song, but I want to do this standing up."

There was a mixture of excitement and hesitation amongst the group, but Kurt didn't let it bother him. He glanced between Quinn and Rachel to look at the cement stairs. They were the same stairs that Blaine and the Warblers had sung Somewhere Only We Know almost a year before when he transferred back to McKinley. They were also the same stairs that Blaine took every day to get from Calculus to his British Literature class.

"He should be coming any second and I want be up when he comes, so I need someone to help me," Kurt said. Unsure of whether it was the best idea or not, Santana and Tina reached out their arms while Mercedes held his wheelchair so it didn't move from underneath him. After several tries, Kurt was on his feet.

His legs felt strange under him. He'd been able to move them for almost a month now, but they lacked the shape and muscle he used to have. His knees wobbled, his feet protested, his calves burned, and his thighs quivered all at the task of simply holding him up. He hadn't even tried walking in physical therapy yet.

They never let him actually try. They did a lot of telling him he could and supporting him when he said he wanted to try, but he rarely even managed to get his butt out of the chair.

"I don't think you should do this, Kurt," Rachel said, appearing at his side and putting a hand on his back.

"Oh shush. I'll do what I want." Kurt batted her hand away. "You guys just get ready to sing. Blaine's coming!"

Sure enough, Blaine was coming. His backpack was slung over one shoulder and he bopped his head from side to side with the music from the white earbuds in his ears. He was focused on the ground in front of him as he began to take the stairs two at a time. When he did glance up, he caught sight of the glee girls gathered at the top of the stairs and waved at them. Mercedes motioned for him to come closer.

Blaine plucked the earbuds out of his ears and came jogging over.

"Get ready to sing!" Kurt whispered to the girls.

"Hey gals, what's up?" Blaine asked as he came over. The girls parted to reveal Kurt, standing but still supported by Santana and Tina. "Kurt, what are you doing?"

"Blaine, I wanted to make this really special for both of us," Kurt began. As soon as Blaine was in his line of sight, Blaine was all he could focus on. The girls began to hum as Rachel turned on the speakers attached to her own iPod. Music filled the air and Blaine grinned.

Taking a deep breath, Kurt willed one foot forward, and when it moved and he could put weight on it, he tugged his arms away from the girls and for one split second he felt confident that he could sing and make it to Blaine and ask Blaine to prom and have a good time slow dancing with his head on Blaine's shoulder like a normal kid for once.

But of course, as with most things that had happened in the last year, Kurt could not have been that lucky.

As soon as he was left on his own to support his upright body, his legs quivered and quaked beneath him. He lost his balance and tried to compensate, but his other leg wouldn't move and when it finally did, he tripped on his own feet and went flying forward.

The world went spinning as he was sent tumbling down the cement stairs, simultaneously trying to protect his head and stop falling. Wind rushed past his ears and he could faintly hear the girls and Blaine calling out after him as they ran down the stairs.

Then as soon as it began, it was over. He landed on his back on the pavement at the bottom, the air being forced out of his lungs at the impact, leaving him choking and gasping as he tried to inhale. His arm and his hip and his side ached and his lungs felt tight.

"Kurt! Oh my god, Kurt!" Blaine's distressed cries flooded his ears as the group made it down the stairs. Blaine was at his side in an instant, hovering over him, begging him to be alright and wondering why he would do such a stupid thing.

"Sorry…" Kurt wheezed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, Kurt. I love you." Blaine cradled Kurt's face in his hands and planted a quick kiss on his lips. "You're going to be alright, baby, I promise."

"I don't think his arm is supposed to be twisted that way," Rachel said. Kurt blinked and tried to look at her, but his head felt too heavy. She sounded like she was coming from another universe.

"Someone call for help," Blaine shouted, louder than necessary. Mercedes was already dialing 911. Blaine sat back and looked at Kurt, his hands hovering over Kurt's body as he panicked. It was his responsibility to make sure Kurt was ok, that Kurt didn't get hurt, and now here he was, desperately hoping Kurt had sustained any more serious injuries.

"Kurt, baby, please be alright," Blaine pleaded. He grasped the hand of Kurt's uninjured arm and held it close, pressing it up against his chest right over his heart.

"I'm ok," Kurt tried to say, but it came out as a fit of coughs and sputters.

In the distance they could hear sirens and there were people all over. Mr. Schuester appeared and tried to get closer to see what was going on. He tried to pull a slightly hysterical Blaine away from Kurt, but the boy was lost.

Between the commotion and the sirens and Kurt whimpering softly, Blaine curled in on himself, away from the people, as flashbacks hit him in waves.

_The music disappeared and there was nothing but screeching metal and everything was spinning. Everything was a blur of strange colors and horrible noises. He mouth opened to emit a strangled cry of Kurt's name as he hoped Kurt wasn't feeling all this too._

Mercedes reached out and put a hand on Blaine's shoulder, her inquiry about his health lost in a strangled cry as his whole body collapsed and he clutched Kurt's hand so hard he was hurting it.

"Blaine! You're hurting him, stop! You're hurting Kurt. Let him go!" Rachel and Mercedes were on either side of him, their fingers trying to pry his apart. He whined and tried to move away from them as a strange feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.

_Then everything jolted to a stop. The noise was gone all too quickly and all that was left was a steaming engine, a quickly deflating airbag, and a slow grind of settling metal car parts_.

Kurt's eyes fluttered open and focused on Blaine. He breathed heavily as he squeezed Blaine's hand back as hard as he could. "Blaine…"

"_Blaine?" Kurt's strangled whimper was so small Blaine almost couldn't hear it._

"You're going to have to step away from him, Blaine." Mr. Schuester had his hands on Blaine's shoulders, trying to pull him away. "The ambulance is coming. He'll be fine."

"_Blaine? Blaine! Where are you, Blaine? I need you…please, Blaine, everything hurts!" Kurt cried. Blaine settled his good hand on Kurt's shoulder, rubbing softly as he got as close to Kurt's head as he could._

"I'm sorry, Kurt. I couldn't stop it, I'm sorry," Blaine sobbed. He squeezed his eyes shut and images flashed before his closed eyelids.

_Kurt was shivering, he was getting so cold. Blaine pulled his hand away from Kurt's shoulder and saw his hand was sticky and red. Covered in Kurt's blood._

The sirens were closer and soon the ambulance was pulling up as teachers tried to shoo the wondering student away.

_The sirens were close and people were yelling. _

"Blaine, are you ok?"

"_Sir, are you ok?_"

"No…no…Kurt…"

"_Kurt's not ok. He's hurt. Someone help him, please!"_

. ~ . ~ .

_Lima General Hospital_

_Later that day_

_12:12 PM_

Blaine's eyes fluttered open and he was greeted with the sight of a perfectly white ceiling. His head _hurt_ and he couldn't remember what had happened, but he knew he was in a hospital. Groaning, he slowly sat up and looked around. There was a bed next to his, and he slowly turned his head to see Kurt, lying there smiling at him.

"About time you woke up. It's only been a little more than two hours."

"What happened?" Blaine asked, groaning as his headache seemed to worsen by the second. When it dawned on him that Kurt was lying in a hospital bed as well, his eyes widened.

"Well, where should I start? The fact that I fell down thirty cement stairs after trying to ask you to prom? Or the fact that you started having freakish hysterical flashbacks when the ambulance came?" Kurt's voice was a little weak, but he was still smiling sweetly at Blaine.

"I did what?" Blaine's eyebrows drew together and Kurt laughed softly.

"You almost broke my hand you were holding it so hard. They had to sedate you just so they could get me into the ambulance. Later they're gonna bring in some shrink or something to talk to you, I think. They said it was like…post-traumatic stress or something. You were just reminded of the accident," Kurt explained.

Blaine just looked at Kurt, not understanding what he was talking about at all. He didn't even remember Kurt falling down the stairs. He just remembered walking to class and seeing Mercedes and then there he was, waking up in the hospital.

"I broke my arm when I fell. Clean break, easily repaired. Cast should come off in about a month." Kurt held up his red cast. "I got red because to be honest we both look hot in red."

Blaine smiled a little, wondering how Kurt could be so calm, so alive after being injured yet again.

"It was funny. My dad and Carole got here an hour ago, and my dad was almost more worried about you because you were sedated," Kurt said. He was still smiling. He reached his arm – the one with the red cast on it – across the gap between the beds. Blaine reached out as far as he could and they were just far enough apart that their fingertips barely brushed.

"I love you," Blaine said. They reached for each other again, this time linking their index fingers together.

"I love you too," Kurt said.

The door to the hospital room opened to admit Burt, Carole, and two doctors.

"Hello boys. Blaine, glad to see you're awake." The doctor said. He glanced at Blaine's chart and moved to his side. Kurt let go of his fingers and their hands went drifting away. "I'm Dr. Lopez."

"Are you Santana's father?" Blaine asked, looking up at him.

"Why yes I am. Are you in that glee club with her?" Dr. Lopez checked all over Blaine to see if he was alright.

"Yeah. She's really fun to hang around," Blaine said, shifting uncomfortably as the he probed all over.

"I'm glad. Everything seems to be fine. Dr. Manhollen will be in to speak with you shortly about your…flashbacks," Dr. Lopez said. He turned to check out Kurt, and when he was done he left them alone with Burt and Carole.

"Blaine, honey, are you alright? They didn't really know what happened with you." Carole stood between their beds, one hand resting on Kurt's arm as she faced Blaine.

"I don't know. I just started having these weird flashbacks of the accident. I haven't even had a dream about the accident since Kurt woke up." Blaine looked over at Kurt, catching the gaze of those beautiful blue eyes.

"Blaine." Burt's voice made Blaine jerk his gaze away from Kurt. The older Hummel was standing at the foot of Blaine's bed, looking down at him with an unreadable expression. "You'll be pleased to know that your suspicions were correct. I was on the phone with that physical therapy place to cancel our appointment for the day. The police answered my call. Turns out, we walked right into a scam. Sucking thousands of dollars out of people to _tell_ their patients they were getting better instead of actually making them better. The cops are gonna come talk to you, Kurt, and it sounds like we can benefit from a pretty hefty lawsuit against them."

"Lawsuit? Police?" Kurt just looked around, a little confused.

"Wouldn't it be great if we could get enough to get you both started in college?" Burt said, smiling.

"I knew they were lying. They told Kurt he was ready to walk and they didn't even do any proper exercises with him," Blaine said. He glanced over at Kurt, who was staring down at his lap. Blaine felt silent as he watched Kurt's mouth twitch upward as he picked at the blanket draped over him.

"What is it, honey?" Carole asked softly. Kurt looked up and they realized he was crying.

"I believed them. I was stupid enough to try. And now look where we are. I've got a broken arm and Blaine has to see a shrink because I gave him traumatic flashbacks." Kurt sniffled and wiped his nose with his good arm.

"You didn't give me anything, Kurt. It's my own stupid fault," Blaine said. He reached out for Kurt again, but Kurt didn't reach back. Kurt didn't even look up. "Kurt. Look at me. Please, look at me."

Slowly, Kurt raised his head and cringed as he looked into Blaine's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Blaine. If I had just sucked it up and drove that night, maybe this wouldn't have happened like it did," Kurt said. There were tears in his eyes and Blaine suddenly felt something twist in his heart that was unfamiliar. Kurt kept speaking and Blaine felt it twisting harder. "If…if you were in the passenger side and you got hit, then maybe things would be different. You'd be at home with your parents and they have money and you might already be walking and I would have flashbacks because I just don't have flashbacks like that and then I'd be going to your house and helping you and it could be different!"

Tears streamed steadily down Kurt's cheeks. Blaine suddenly realized that Kurt wished all of it on him. It was one thing for Blaine to wish it to be the other way around, but Kurt _actually_ wished that Blaine had suffered instead. Weren't couples supposed to want to take pain for each other?

Before Blaine could reply, there was a knock on the door before it opened and an older woman in a suit stepped in.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Manhollen. Which one of you is Blaine?" She smiled at the two boys.

"He is," Carole answered quickly, pointing at Blaine.

"Alright. Would one of you be ok with escorting Blaine to my office? I would like to talk with him in private." Dr. Manhollen smiled at Carole from behind black framed spectacles. Her hair was stick straight and shoulder length, and she looked older than she was.

"I'll help him," Carole volunteered. She glanced over at Burt and Kurt, who nodded at her before she turned to help Blaine out of his bed. He was a little stiff from lying there so long, but he insisted he was fine. They turned away for a moment while he slipped on his clothes and set his hospital gown aside. Without another word to the two Hummel men, they left.

Kurt and Burt were left alone.

Burt moved to sit at the edge of Kurt's bed and looked down at his son.

"Kurt, I don't think you should try walking again for a while," Burt said. "I don't know what you thought you were doing trying it today. I think that was a stupid, selfish thing you did."

"I just wanted to ask Blaine to prom. I just wanted to be normal." Kurt refused to look his father in the eyes.

"I know, son. I know," Burt said softly. "Blaine was so worried about you, though. You know he just wants you to be safe and I think if you want to keep from hurting him anymore, you'll just stay in the chair and exercise and when _you're ready¸_ we can see about getting you on your feet again."

Kurt sniffled again, not wanting to give up, but knowing his father was just worried. For Blaine, he would do anything.

. ~ . ~ .

"It hurts me that he would wish this on me," Blaine said once they were alone in Dr. Manhollen's office. Carole was waiting outside. The session wouldn't last more than an hour.

"Why?"

"It's one thing for me to willingly tell him I want to be crippled if it means he could use his legs, but it's another for him to wish that I was crippled." Blaine shrugged. His hands rested on his thighs, feeling the muscles under them. Muscles Kurt no longer had from being motionless for so long.

"You don't really want to lose the use of your legs, do you?"

"I would do anything for Kurt. I love him." Blaine was surprised at how _vicious _he sounded. It had practically come snarling out of his mouth. Dr. Manhollen seemed unfazed.

"You sound like you're trying to convince yourself more than anyone else," she observed.

"I do. I'm just angry he would say that with his parents in the room," Blaine shrugged. "And I don't understand why he has to feel so damn guilty all the time. He never did anything wrong."

"Does he think the accident was his fault?"

"No. God no. He just thinks everything else is. He doesn't understand that I chose this. I chose him. And I'm dealing with the consequences."

"Are you prone to flashbacks?"

"Not usually. I was just…so worried about him. I love him so much. I can't stand to see him get hurt. Then I feel like it's my fault," Blaine said, his tone softening.

"So you feel guilty. And then you apologize."

Blaine looked up at her, wondering what she was getting at.

"Perhaps Kurt feels guilty for make you feel guilty. Perhaps this cycle of guilt is only driving you apart."

"How do we stop?" Blaine asked weakly. "I don't want to be mad at him. I don't want to leave him. I want to love him forever."

"Kurt is going to get hurt. It's the nature of life. Is there anything you could've done to stop him from falling down the stairs today?" Dr. Manhollen scribbled something on her notepad before looking up at Blaine, expecting and answer.

"No. I guess not. I could've made him sit back down, but I don't know if he would have." Blaine shrugged and looked back down at his hands.

"What's a time he felt guilty for something he couldn't control?" she asked.

"I don't know. He just…he all the time feels like I'm going to leave him and I want to be able to tell him I'm not and have him believe me," replied Blaine.

"There you are again, taking responsibility for it. Maybe as long as he thinks he's damaged, he'll have this problem. You're only feeding it," she told him.

"So what do I do?" Blaine asked. She sighed and considered him for a long while.

"For such a young heart, you have such an old soul," she said. She removed her glasses and leaned forward. "You are scarred by the accident. Anchored, almost, in this time of despair and confusion. It's only hurting Kurt. And it's only hurting you. My advice is to look at the future now. Apply for college, work towards that apartment you can move Kurt and you into someday, have _hope_. I know this isn't as easy as it sounds, but you're stuck in a rut and you need to dig yourself out."

Blaine considered her for a moment, not saying anything. Finally, she sat back and scribbled something on a piece of paper.

"I'm prescribing mild anti-depressants and recommending further sessions with myself or another psychiatrist. It's entirely optional, though. I just need you to know, Blaine, that you and Kurt cannot lose yourselves to this. It's been a year since your accident and you're still here. Don't give up now."

Blaine hesitated before reaching forward and taking the paper from her. He thanked her, refusing to offer her his usual dapper smile, and then left the office.

* * *

><p>Please don't be too mad! Let me know what you thought.<p> 


	16. Chapter 16

I do not own Glee.

A/N: So I changed my name from TaylarelloLove to YouHadMeAtSkinTightJeans to go with my tumblr url. Anyway this is pure fluff. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><em>April 19, 2012<em>

_6:15 PM_

Spring break came and went, and Kurt had been so discouraged by his lack of progress in walking, he resigned to staying wheelchair bound until he finished school and fixed whatever was wrong with him and Blaine, which was looking like it was going to fix itself.

Blaine was…different…since he'd started taking the happy pills. After his first (and only) session with a psychiatrist, he explained to Kurt what was driving them apart. They swore on their promise rings that they would make it work, because no matter what, they loved each other.

But sometimes he still acted funny. He was actually _happy_. In a weird, forced way. He was always smiling all the time, his eyes sparkled magically, and he tried to talk to everyone and everything he passed by. He got a haircut, but left it free from gel, he actively competed for all the solos in glee club.

After a couple of weeks of watching Blaine undergo such a transformation, Kurt realized what it was.

Blaine was back to his old self.

He was back to dapper Blaine Anderson who strutted around like he owned the town, smiling all the time, friends with everyone, jumping on furniture, with puppy dog eyes and cheesy romantic tendencies. He wasn't Blaine who felt like he had to love Kurt because of all Kurt had been through, he was back to Blaine who looked at Kurt adoringly, no matter what condition he was in.

The Blaine that Kurt had fallen in love with was back, and he was here for all of his friends to see.

Glee club quickly resumed its place as Kurt's favorite part of the day. He would head from his afternoon study hall class to his locker, where Blaine would meet him, smiling wide enough to light his who face up now that it was no longer hidden behind his wild, curly hair. After meeting, Blaine would give his arms a rest and push him to glee rehearsal, where Kurt would settle in the front row and watch as Blaine fought Finn for male leads and Rachel and Mercedes for solos. Kurt was convinced that nothing could be better than the duet with Blaine at Regionals, so he was just happy when Blaine insisted on a song where each member got to sing at least one line.

Blaine wanted Kurt to get some of the solos too, on account of Kurt having "the most gorgeous, perfect, amazingly amazing voice ever". Although Kurt figured Blaine was a little biased on that part.

Having missed Nationals the year before, Kurt was excited as hell to go to New York.

After school every day, Kurt went straight home now that he didn't have physical therapy. Blaine had taken up his afternoons working at Burt's shop again. This left Kurt alone at home, where he would spend his afternoon planning everything he could do in New York once he was there. He wanted to see everything and he wanted to see it all with Blaine. Unfortunately the week they were spending there wouldn't be enough.

So that night, at dinner, Kurt decided he was going to ask his dad for quite possibly the biggest thing Kurt could think to ask him, hoping for the best result.

"No. Absolutely not." Burt dropped his silverware onto his plate and looked angry at Kurt's request.

"Please, Dad. It's just an extra week! I want to see musicals and shop on Fifth Avenue and see things. Don't I deserve it?" Kurt glanced around the table, gauging Carole's, Finn's, and Blaine's reaction. He was disappointed to see Blaine looking so uneasy.

"Not alone. No," Burt said, shaking his head.

"We're both eighteen now. We're technically adults. I've almost got all of my credits made up already at school and I haven't been doing anything risky or dangerous. By the time we go my arm will be healed. Please." Kurt turned on the waterworks, letting his eyes fill with tears.

Burt gritted his teeth and glanced at Blaine, catching his uneasy look.

"What do you think?" Burt asked. Blaine's eyes widened a little and he got that concerned-for-Kurt's-safety look he used to get before the accident.

"I don't know. It sounds great and all, but when I went before, I was mugged and molested within an hour of stepping off the bus," Blaine said. Kurt rolled his eyes. Blaine was not helping his case.

"I could stay there with them. Me and Rachel could join them. Her dads wouldn't mind since she's going there right after school finishes anyway," Finn offered. He looked hopeful as well. Kurt groaned. He'd wanted to go alone with Blaine.

Burt looked at Carole for a moment, whose expression showed she didn't know why they couldn't go.

"You can go under the following conditions." Burt paused to allow Kurt a celebratory squeal of happiness. "One, the four of you stay in _one hotel room_. That will hopefully reduce the temptation for any inappropriate behavior."

Kurt groaned and interrupted. "But _Dad_! Blaine and I already share a room alone together!"

Burt rolled his eyes and said, "It's not you two I'm worried about. It's Finn. Now the second condition is that the four of you _stay together_. Thirdly, and this is for you only Kurt, don't spend more than a thousand dollars shopping. Fourth, since I'm paying for this trip, each of you will have a food budget and we'll have to discuss any of those stupid musicals you might want to see."

Kurt grinned happily and maneuvered his wheelchair around the table so he could give Burt a hug, thanking him a million times over. Of course, he had plans of breaking some of those rules, but he wasn't going to tell Burt or Blaine that.

. ~ . ~ .

_Later that evening_

_9:45 PM_

"Blaine, can you help me? I have to do this workbook thing to finish my Chemistry credit and I'm completely lost." Kurt held up the book and waved it in the air from his place on the bed. Blaine was sitting at the desk with his Calculus notes spread all over and his glasses – which he didn't wear very often but were totally sexy in Kurt's opinion – perched on his nose.

"Just one second, Kurt. I just have one more problem." Blaine didn't even look up as he punched something forcefully into a calculator.

"You know, Blaine, by 'help me' I mean get your ass over here and make out with me," Kurt said, dropping the book on the bed beside him. Blaine smirked and looked up, then shook his head and went back to finishing his homework.

"Blaine!" Kurt whined.

"Kurt, give it up. I'm almost done and I need to pass this class," Blaine said. This was another side effect of Blaine's pills. He was re-interested in schoolwork again. He even applied to the Junior College in Westerville.

"If you don't come kiss me I'm going to come to you," Kurt threatened.

"In case you forgot, while you can move them now your legs aren't strong enough to walk," Blaine said, still focused on his calculator.

"Fuck you," Kurt snapped. "How will I ever know if I can if I don't try?"

"The last time you tried you fell down thirty stairs and broke your arm," Blaine reminded him. He looked pointedly at the red cast still on Kurt's arm.

"Ass," Kurt muttered under his breath.

Blaine sighed and took his glasses off. He stood and walked over to the bed and kneeled down. He pulled something out of his back pocket and watched as Kurt raised an eyebrow, smiling slightly with anticipation.

"Kurt Hummel, will you go to the senior prom with me?" Blaine asked, pulling out two prom tickets and holding them up. He grinned widely, at least until Kurt's smile faltered.

"A little presumptuous, buying the tickets already without securing your date," Kurt said.

"Well, I figured you'd want to go…"

"You figured wrong." Kurt shoved his homework away from him and scooted away from Blaine, putting a few feet of distance between them. Blaine looked up at him, confused.

"You don't want to go to prom with me?" Blaine asked. They both caught how for a moment, his voice seemed to break.

"It's not that I don't want to go with you, Blaine. I love you. It's that I don't want to go to prom. I don't want to sit around all night watching my friends have fun while I can't even dance. All I ever wanted was to slow dance with someone at my prom and how am I supposed to do that in a wheelchair?" Kurt looked down and fiddled with a string on the comforter beneath him.

"Kurt…we'd figure something out. You wanted to go so badly." Blaine pulled himself up and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I wanted to go when I thought I would be able to dance with you," Kurt said. Not looking up at Blaine, he reached out and put his hand over Blaine's.

"If you don't want to go, I won't make you. I just want you to be happy," Blaine said. He leaned over and tipped Kurt's chin up, then pressed a soft kiss to Kurt's lips.

"I think I'll just spend the night planning our week after Nationals," Kurt sighed.

"I can't wait." Blaine situated himself so he was lying beside Kurt, propped up on one arm.

"I've got a couple of schemes cooking up to get away from Finn and Rachel. There are so many romantic things we could do there, just the two of us," Kurt said with a lazy smile.

"I love you," Blaine said. He leaned closer, cupping his hand around Kurt's jaw, and kissed him.

. ~ . ~ .

_April 28, 2012_

_7:15 PM_

_Prom night_

"Boys! The limo is here!" Carole called from the doorway. The New Directions had all split the cost of a limo ride to prom and dinner. It was going to be fun for everyone. Everyone was split off into couples: Finn and Rachel, Sam and Mercedes, Brittany and Santana, Mike and Tina, Puck and Lauren, and even Quinn and Artie decided to go together as just friends.

Even after many attempts at convincing, Kurt remained adamant about not going.

Carole came into the living room where Blaine and Kurt were snuggled together on the couch watch The Real L Word on Showtime.

"Boys? You're not dressed for the dance," Carole observed.

"We're not going," Kurt said, not taking his eyes of the TV.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to." Kurt snuggled closer to Blaine and pulled the blanket that was draped over them up to his chin. Carole wanted to grill them both more about it, but Finn came down the stairs in his rented tux, adjusting his bowtie. Right as he came down, the doorbell rang and Rachel came in wearing a beautiful lavender gown. Pictures were taken and Carole gushed over them and Burt gave Finn a few fatherly words before they left.

Burt and Carole appeared back in the living room, looking at the two boys left on the couch.

"Sure you don't want to change your mind?" Burt asked.

"No!" Kurt snapped. He tossed the blanket off and sat up. He could now move himself from the couch to the wheelchair without Blaine's help, but he still couldn't go upstairs by himself. He turned to Blaine. "Can you take me upstairs?"

"Yeah," Blaine nodded. The moved past Burt and Carole and headed to the staircase. Blaine carried Kurt upstairs, then went back down for the wheelchair. Kurt wanted to be alone, so much to Burt and Carole's surprise, Blaine reappeared back downstairs alone.

"What's up with him?" Burt asked. He and Carole were going out on a date soon that they'd been planning for a month. They were both a little disappointed that the house wouldn't be free of teenage boys as they'd hoped.

"He just really wanted to slow dance with someone at his prom," Blaine sighed. He headed into the kitchen and started to make something to eat. Kurt had said he wasn't hungry, but Blaine was so he pulled everything out of the fridge he needed to make a roast beef sandwich.

By the time Blaine made and ate his sandwich, Burt and Carole had left for their date – Burt giving Blaine a warning not to take advantage of being home alone – and Blaine decided it was time to head back upstairs and see if Kurt was alright.

When he reached Kurt's room, there was no Kurt to be found. Blaine glanced around and found the door to his closet open. Slowly, he walked up and found Kurt's wheelchair outside. Kurt was sitting inside, cross-legged on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Blaine asked, smiling at how cute his boyfriend was.

Kurt looked up at him and held up the bundle of fabric in his hands. Blaine lowered himself down on his knees beside Kurt. He reached for the fabric and Kurt let him see it. Holding it up, he looked at the plaid fabric, half sewn together.

"What is it?"

"It was going to be a kilt. I was making it to wear to junior prom last year. I was going to ask you over dinner at Breadstix and you were going to say yes and I couldn't wait to model this for you. But I never got to finish it." Kurt turned slightly and hugged Blaine's arm, leaning his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"You wanted to wear a kilt to prom?" Blaine asked, laughing a little.

"Yes!" Kurt giggled and slapped his arm. "There's nothing off the rack for the young fashionable man in Ohio! I had this gorgeous jacket planned that I was going to make by hand. I think the sketches are still around here…"

He shuffled over to a small chest of drawers up against the wall. He opened one drawer and pulled out a sketchbook. Settling back beside Blaine, he flipped open the book. Blaine gasped when Kurt flipped past some of the sketches.

"Kurt, these drawings are amazing. These are like…professional!" Blaine said, surprised that Kurt was so good.

"Well fashion design used to be like my guilty pleasure," Kurt shrugged. He reached the last page in the sketchbook and found the jacket that he'd planned on making. He showed it to Blaine, who was in awe of his secret talent.

"That's gorgeous, Kurt." Blaine said. Kurt smiled and closed the sketchbook.

"All I ever wanted was to slow dance with someone at prom. To feel like a normal kid for a change." Kurt moved to put the sketchbook back into the drawer.

"I'll be right back," Blaine said suddenly. He climbed to his feet and smiled down at Kurt.

"Where are you going?" Kurt asked.

"Just downstairs. I'll be back in a minutes." Blaine dodged out of the closet. He took Kurt's wheelchair and hurried downstairs. He had to act quickly to do what he had in mind. In the living room, he moved the coffee table up against the wall and dimmed the lights. He lit candles all around the room and shuffled through the CD's by Burt's stereo. He picked the perfect song, put the CD in, and slipped the remote into his pocket. When he was satisfied, he headed upstairs and found Kurt had made it out of the closet and to his bed.

"You stole my chair," Kurt huffed. Blaine just smiled. He went over and held out his arms. "What?"

"I have something for you. Downstairs," Blaine said. Kurt gave him a skeptical look, then allowed Blaine to pull him into his arms. They were quiet as they made their way down the stairs. Blaine put Kurt in the wheelchair and pushed him to the living room. Kurt caught sight of the candles and took in a quick breath.

Blaine pulled the remote out of his pocket and pressed play. _Keep on Loving You_ by REO Speedwagon began playing and Kurt gasped again, placing his hand over his heart.

"I want you to have your dance, Kurt," Blaine said. He pushed the wheelchair into the center of the room, then moved around to Kurt's front. The music filled the room and Kurt looked up at him, his eyes glistening. Blaine knelt down and leaned closer. "Put your arms around my neck," he whispered.

Kurt did as he was told, and Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist. Taking a deep breath, Blaine pushed his legs and pulled Kurt up, hugging him tight. Kurt let out a small squeak and then Kurt was standing.

Blaine had his hands on Kurt's waist and Kurt's arms were around his neck and they locked eyes right as the singer sang, "When I said that I love you I mean that I love you forever".

Kurt's eyes drifted closed and he leaned against Blaine, resting his face in the crook of Blaine's neck. Slowly, with Blaine's strong hands keeping him anchored, they began to sway. Kurt didn't fully trust his legs, but he let Blaine hold him as they swayed to the music.

They moved from side to side slowly, shifted back and forth, just being close and clinging to each other. Kurt couldn't let Blaine go, knowing he'd fall if he did, but he didn't really want to. His nose was pushed against the soft and salty skin of Blaine's neck. He pressed the gentlest of kisses to Blaine's skin and inhaled deeply.

Blaine hummed quietly alone to the music, his throat vibrating against where Kurt's lips rested. Kurt moved one arm from around Blaine's neck to his chest, his hand gripping Blaine's shoulder tightly.

As the song began to draw to a close, Blaine tipped his head down and whispered into Kurt's ear, "I will love you forever."

The music ended and Blaine stopped moving. He reached into his back pocket and used the remote to shut the stereo off, then turned his attention back to Kurt.

It took him a moment to realize Kurt was quivering and crying softly into his neck. He moved his hands up and rested them on Kurt's back, rubbing softly and whispering soft words of comfort into Kurt's ear.

"Thank you so much, Blaine," Kurt cried. "I don't know how I deserve you."

"You deserve the whole world and more," Blaine said, kissing Kurt's ear softly. "I really did mean it. I will love you forever. Look how far you've come, Kurt. We're _standing _in your living room. You're amazing."

Kurt just cried a little harder, but somehow Blaine knew they were tears of happiness.

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><p>Let me know what you think!<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

I do not own Glee

A/N: I'm so tired right now...XD. Also I know I said no more songs but it's Nationals...and I wanted to put songs in! Plus it's Glee...what would Glee be without music? This is how I want Nationals to go next year (but probably won't happen) and the songs are If I Never See Your Face Again by Maroon 5 and We Are One by Kiss. Thanks so much for all your reviews and favs and alerts. You guys are awesome!

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><p><em>May 28, 2012<em>

_11:14 AM_

This. Was. It.

Nationals.

In New York City.

_They made it._

Blaine pushed Kurt out the doors of the airport and they were instantly hit with warm, stuffy, slightly smelly air. They both took in a deep breath. This was the smell of their future.

Kurt turned around and looked up at Blaine, his eyes sparkling beautifully with hope and love. Blaine leaned down to kiss him softly on the lips. Before he could pull away, Kurt reached up and grabbed a fistful of his jacket.

"What?" Blaine asked softly. Kurt was smiling mischievously.

"Did you know, that we could get married while we're here?" Kurt asked, raising both eyebrows. "We could get married and go back to Ohio as husbands."

Blaine returned his smile and leaned down to kiss him once more. "Wouldn't that just totally surprise your dad?"

They laughed, their breath mingling together as they kissed before Blaine finally pulled back. Kurt was still smiling broadly.

"Well gang, we made it!" Mr. Schuester came up behind them as the rest of the group gathered.

"This is so exciting!" Rachel squealed as she danced around in place. Her dads had hesitated but after much begging from Rachel as well as Kurt and Blaine, they'd agreed to let her stay the extra week in New York. Everyone knew it wasn't about Rachel or Finn, or even Blaine. The week they were spending after Nationals was for Kurt.

It was all for Kurt, who had endured so much in the last year, who overcame death and came back into the world with a smile on his face. Kurt deserved to have all of his dreams come true, and who were they to deny him? Who were any of them to tell Kurt "no" after what had happened to him? And sure, by now he'd mostly recovered in the mental department and he could stand as long as Blaine was propping him up, but he was a long ways off yet from being his old self.

Hell, none of them were holding their breath that Kurt would ever get back to "normal". It didn't matter to anyone in his life though, because they loved him regardless.

"Alright, guys, we just have to wait here for our shuttle to the hotel, where we can check in and drop off our stuff and go over our set list for Nationals!" Mr. Schuester flipped through a bunch of paperwork.

Everyone cheered and as if on cue, a shuttle pulled up with a sign that said it was headed to their hotel. All of the members of New Directions piled on, but it only took thirty seconds to realize there was a problem.

"Um, I thought you requested a handicap bus, Mr. Schue," Mercedes said from the back of the group. Everyone turned around and looked at Blaine, Kurt, and Artie who just wondered how on earth the two boys were supposed to get there.

It was clear though, by the look on Mr. Schuester's face that had in fact _not_ requested a handicap bus and was suddenly very panicked and apologetic for forgetting he had two handicap students under his care.

"You guys take the bus," Blaine spoke up. "Artie, Kurt, and I will take a cab and follow you."

"What do you know about takin' a cab, bear?" Mercedes questioned. Blaine just flashed her his most dapper smile.

"I lived here until I was eleven. I think I know a thing or two about how the city works," Blaine replied. Kurt turned around, his eyes wide at this little development.

"You _lived_ here? Why didn't you tell me? Why did you _leave_?" Kurt asked, his voice high pitched and excited.

"If I had stayed, I would've never met you," Blaine said. They waved the New Directions onward and Blaine hailed them a cab. Kurt insisted on getting in first so he could sit by the window. Artie agreed to sit in the middle so Blaine could help them both get in. Soon, they were off and on their way to the hotel.

"That plane ride was amazing," Kurt said excitedly. "This city is amazing. The people look amazing. This taxi is amazing!"

Artie stifled his laughter at Kurt's obvious awe of everything. Blaine just smiled happily and looked out the window. When they pulled up to the hotel, the driver got out and helped Blaine get the two wheelchairs out and their luggage. Blaine paid and tipped the man generously from the money he'd brought from his savings and they headed inside.

Mr. Schuester was at the front desk, checking in, and Blaine glanced down at Kurt, who gave him a single nod. Kurt went off one way to find Rachel and Finn while Blaine took over the other half of the plan they'd quietly concocted during the plane ride there.

"Mr. Schue, can I talk to you for a second?" Blaine asked, hurrying over to where the teacher stood.

"Sure, Blaine, what's up? Did you guys get here ok?"

Blaine nodded in the affirmative. "Yeah, everything's great. Burt and Carole were kind enough to get us a room here for both weeks, so I was hoping it would be alright with you if Kurt and I just check in to it and take our stuff up there?"

"Yeah, sure. That sounds fine. Just meet us in room 246 in an hour. Are Finn and Rachel staying with us or with you guys?"

"I think Rachel might insist on 'staying with the team', at least until after the competition," Blaine said, trying to maintain his dapper smile. Mr. Schuester nodded and said he'd see them in an hour and left Blaine to check in.

A few minutes later, Kurt and Blaine were heading upstairs to their room.

"Did Finn and Rachel agree?" Blaine asked once they were in the elevator.

"Yup. Finn just said for us to get whatever it is we do alone out of our system before he has to share a room with us," Kurt said, chuckling softly.

Blaine just smiled. This was going to be a damn good trip, he could tell already.

. ~ . ~ .

_May 30, 2012_

_12:41 PM_

"Alright guys, we go on in one hour. I really think we have a shot at winning this year! We've got Blaine and Kurt and you guys put together an amazing set list. So let's go warm up and kick some Vocal Adrenaline ass!" Mr. Schuester's pre-performance pep talks left something to be desired, but it was enough to rouse a cheer from the group as they headed back to the rehearsal area.

Their set lest was pretty amazing, if Blaine thought so himself. Finn had resigned as team captain in order to let Blaine do what Blaine did best: choose amazing songs and sing all the solos. He and Rachel had done a lot of fighting, but mostly because there wasn't a single song in their seven song repertoire that featured her voice as a solo. Blaine had chosen to focus on the less heard voices of the group and, of course, himself.

His justification of "all the times you lost you had Finn and Rachel as your leads" had convinced most of the New Directions.

Also, Blaine had recruited Mike, Brittany, Santana, and Quinn to come up with some kick ass choreography for the group, instead of letting Mr. Schuester make it up. Kurt, Mercedes, and Tina had worked together on costumes for the group, and everyone's strengths were utilized.

When it came time for their first song, Kurt and Blaine snuck off to a secluded corner for a moment alone. Blaine knelt down in front of Kurt and they rested their foreheads together, their eyes closed.

"We're gonna win," Kurt whispered.

"The other teams are really good," Blaine said.

"We're better." Kurt tipped forward and kissed Blaine softly. "We've got you."

"I wanted you to sing during this. To have your moment." Blaine reached up and cupped Kurt's face in the palm of his hand. Kurt covered his hand with his, twining their fingers together.

"It's fine, Blaine. You're our star. Our key to winning. Just go out there and make me proud." Kurt kissed him again before Puck found them and announced that it was time for Blaine to go one. Kurt whispered good luck to him and watched as Blaine headed toward the stage.

Blaine was particularly excited about the first song. It was a duet with Santana whose voice he felt was hidden in the background as much as Kurt's.

The stage was dark as Blaine, Quinn, Brittany, Mike, and Santana stood in a line, looking down at the stage. The curtain rose, but the stage remained dark. Blaine took a deep breath as the music began, soft noises at first, and then bursting out in an explosion of sound as five spotlights turned on, focused on each of them. Dancing to the beat, they moved in perfectly choreographed moves.

Blaine took a few steps forward, opening the song:

"_Now as the summer fades, I let you slip away  
><em>_You say I'm not your type but I can make you sway  
><em>_It makes you burn to learn you're not the only one  
><em>_I'd let you be if you put down your blazing gun"_

Santana stepped forward from the line and eyed Blaine as she began to sing.

"_Now you've gone somewhere else far away  
><em>_I don't know if I will find you  
><em>_But you feel my breath on your neck  
><em>_Can't believe I'm right behind you"_

The five of them moved in to sing the chorus together:

"_Cause you keep me coming back for more  
><em>_And I feel a little better than I did before  
><em>_If I never see your face again, I don't mind  
><em>_Cause we've gone much further than I thought we'd get tonight"_

The other three backed up again, leaving Blaine and Santana in the front, seemingly singing to each other as they traded off lines.

"_Sometimes you move so well, it's hard not to give in"_

"_I'm lost, I can't tell where you end and I begin"_

"_It makes me burn to learn I'm with another man"_

"_I wonder if he's half the lover that I am"_

This time it was Blaine that sang:

"_Now you've gone somewhere else far away  
><em>_I don't know if I will find you  
><em>_But you feel my breath on your neck  
><em>_Can't believe I'm right behind you"_

They repeated the chorus one more time before the music ended and the spotlights went out on the stage. The audience erupted into cheers as they gave them a standing ovation. Blaine was surprised when Santana came over, bouncing with adrenaline and breathing heavily, and embraced him tightly.

They moved off stage to prepare for the next number, which featured Blaine and Sam playing acoustic guitars, Puck playing electric guitar, and Artie playing bass while they all sang with the addiction of Finn and Kurt. The audience was still exploding from their last song as they headed out on stage. Soon, the applause died down and Blaine chanced a loving glance over at Kurt.

Puck counted down quietly and they began strumming the chords to the opening of the song. A prerecorded drum track played behind their guitars while Finn tapped a tambourine against his thigh.

Sam was the first to the sing, opening the song with the first verse.

"_You are not alone and how long can you run  
><em>_It's much too late if you don't know what you've got till it's gone  
><em>_Once upon a time you were a child but that was yesterday  
><em>_Believe that magic in your heart would never fade away"_

Blaine and Puck cut in and sang the next two lines together:

"_But hold your head up head and let your spirits fly  
><em>_Keep hope alive, yes, deep inside and your dreams will never die"_

The six of them harmonized together on the chorus.

"_We are one  
><em>_Everywhere I go, everyone I see  
><em>_And I see my face looking back at me  
><em>_We are one  
><em>_Everything I know, what I know is true  
><em>_Everyone of us is inside of you  
><em>_We are one  
><em>_We are one"_

They all backed away from their microphones as Kurt took on the next verse:

"_Oh, take a breath, close your eyes you're on the road again  
><em>_And then you realize they've brought you back to life again  
><em>_Something's never change but if you fantasize  
><em>_You'll deep inside yourself and then you'll realize"_

Artie, Sam, and Finn sang together:

"_When you feel it coming  
><em>_When you hear the sound  
><em>_You'll always laugh when you wanna cry  
><em>_And then you'll know it deep inside"_

The group sang the chorus once more followed but a few seconds of guitars before the song drew to a close. The cheering was so loud that Blaine almost couldn't hear himself think as they hurried off stage to set down their guitars and the rest of the New Directions joined them. They performed one group number, Something 'Bout Love by David Archuleta, featuring Sam, Brittany, and Artie on lead vocals with a small solo from Kurt.

When it was all over, they were almost positive they won.

. ~ . ~ .

_3:24 PM_

"Someone go check."

"I'm too nervous!"

"This is like last year all over again."

"I can't handle losing again!"

"I'll go look!" Both Blaine and Kurt said simultaneously. The rest of the New Directions looks apprehensive and thankful all at once. Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand before moving behind him to push his chair toward where the top ten were posted.

"This is it," Kurt said. "Don't look yet. Close your eyes and come here."

Blaine parked Kurt in front of the board and closed his eyes, then moved around to be beside Kurt. Kurt reached out and fumbled before he grabbed Blaine's hand. He tugged Blaine down until Blaine was kneeling.

"Ok…on the count of three we'll open our eyes and look together," Kurt whispered. "One."

"Two."

"Three!"

Their eyes opened simultaneously and they focused on the board, looking for their team name.

New Directions.

There they were.

_New Directions_.

They were second.

Second!

Second place in the _nation_.

When Blaine hugged Kurt hard in celebration, he only fear for a fleeting second that he might break him.

. ~ . ~ .

_May 31, 2012_

_2:31 PM_

They finished second after the showcase, losing only to a group who called themselves "Teenage Thrill Ride". It wasn't first place, but it was so close that it didn't even matter. They celebrated nonetheless because hey, they finally beat Vocal Adrenaline!

After the competition ended, they were all headed out to celebrate with a late lunch. As they headed towards the entrance of the building, laughing and smiling and celebrating and holding up their second place trophy like it was the biggest victory ever, two very stern looking men caught their attention and made them stop.

"The New Directions?" One of the men asked. Mr. Schuester stepped up to the front of the group and nodded to the men.

"Congratulations on your second place win," the second man said. They looked intimidatingly at all the students, their perfectly pressed suits and sunglasses frighteningly them somewhat.

"We would like to speak with Mr. Blaine Anderson and Mr. Kurt Hummel," the first man said.

Eyes widened and heads turned as the group parted to leave Kurt and Blaine standing in the middle for the men to see. Mr. Schuester shrugged and watched as Blaine pushed Kurt towards the men as they stepped away from the group.

"Whatever it is, we didn't do it!" Kurt said, his voice nervous and high. Blaine reached down and touched Kurt's shoulder comfortingly. The first man chuckled and removed his sunglasses. The second man followed.

"I'm Dr. Martin Reed, President of New York University." The first man extended a hand to shake both Kurt and Blaine's. The two boys were speechless, wondering what this man had to say. "I speak for everyone when I say you boys have inspired us. The show choir circuit has been buzzing about the accident that you both came back from. We've looked into a few things and you are exactly the type of young people we need to represent our university. I am personally extending an invitation for the both of you to attend New York University on full tuition scholarships for the entire four years."

Kurt and Blaine were shocked.

_Shocked_.

They didn't even know what to do. Or say. They couldn't even move to thank the two men.

It was so sudden. So unexpected.

Finally, Blaine collected himself and reeled his jaw shut. He straightened up and put on his dapper smile.

"Thank you so much," he said, glancing down at Kurt, who had tears in his eyes. "This is so…unexpected…and appreciated. I don't even know what to say."

"Think it over, talk to your family about it," Dr. Martin Reed took a business card out of his jacket and handed it to Blaine. "Then contact my office and we can schedule a meeting to discuss the details of it all. The offer stands until you decline."

"Thank you," Blaine said again. Kurt didn't speak until the two men were gone. He looked up at Blaine, overwhelmed with emotion.

"New York University?" Kurt asked, his voice light and breathy and full of disbelief. "Does this mean I get to go to college?"

Blaine grinned excitedly and leaned down, drawing Kurt into a tight embrace. They were both going to college. In New York. After everything they'd been through, their dreams were finally, _finally_coming true.

. ~ . ~ .

_Later that night_

_9:47 PM_

"…yes, Dad, I want to go!"

Blaine smiled as he heard Kurt on the phone with Burt as he sat on the chaise lounge on the balcony. It was a warm night and they had the room to themselves, so after Kurt took a long bath, Blaine helped him out to the balcony so he could take in the sounds of the city while Blaine took a shower. Opening the sliding door, he smiled as he saw Kurt, sitting up with his legs out in front of him.

They were both dressed in nothing but boxers and complimentary hotel robes. Kurt had forgone hair products and moisturizing in favor of enjoying the stuffy city air. Blaine had done the same, his damp curls clinging to his face as he settled down next to Kurt on the lounge, curling his body up around Kurt's. He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of Kurt's neck, nuzzling softly and moving his head so he could hear Burt through the phone.

"…I just don't know if you should go off and live on your own. I mean, college is great and all but I thought you would just start here at the junior college with Blaine."

"But Blaine got a full ride too! We can live here together. If we're here, we'll have a much better chance of someone recognizing our talent and getting to be famous," Kurt countered. He moved his body so he pressed against Blaine, their bodies spooning. Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt, breathing Kurt's sweet, freshly cleaned skin.

"Like, live alone? With Blaine?" Burt didn't sound like he was too hot on the idea.

"Dad! We're _eighteen_. We're almost responsible adults. We'll be even more responsible in four months when we have to live here!" Kurt shivered in Blaine's arms as Blaine pressed several kisses to Kurt's skin, suckling softly where his shoulder met his neck.

"If there's no one to…"

"Oh my God, Dad! Yes, Blaine and I are together. Yes, if we live together we'll probably be intimate. But I'm ready for this. He's ready for this. It's our future, Dad." Kurt wanted to sound defensive, but it was almost impossible as Blaine's tongue darted out of his mouth and licked slow, hot trails across Kurt's shoulder as he tugged the robe away from the skin.

"We'll talk about this when you get home," Burt said. They exchanged I love you's and goodbyes and then Kurt hung up.

"You're evil," Kurt said. He snuggled into Blaine's chest and turned slightly so he could press a kiss to his lips.

"I'm an innocent little angel," Blaine said between kisses. He hummed softly against Kurt's lips as he felt Kurt's tongue tracing his bottom lip. He opened his lips and felt Kurt shift in his arm as his tongue slipped into his mouth.

They didn't share moments like this nearly often enough. Sure, they shared the same bed every night, but they were usually too tired or too afraid of Burt "checking on them". Now they were completely alone, with no distractions. The rest of New Directions was in their own rooms celebrating, while Kurt and Blaine had decided to celebrate on their own.

"I love you so much," Kurt whispered before diving back in, his tongue sweeping across Blaine's mouth, tasting every bit of him. He cupped Blaine's jaw and moved over him, draping one leg over Blaine's thigh. Blaine's hands rested on his hips, holding him close as they explored each other's mouths.

Kurt pulled back after a while to catch his breath and rested his forehead against Blaine's.

"It won't be long before we can do this every single day," Kurt whispered.

"I'm so proud of you, Kurt." Blaine kissed the corner of Kurt's mouth. "Everything you do amazes me."

"Promise me we'll be like this forever. _Forever_." Kurt pressed his nose against Blaine's cheek, smiling against Blaine's skin.

"Of course, Kurt. I wouldn't dream of having it any other way."

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><p>Let me know what you thought :)<p> 


	18. Chapter 18

I do not own Glee.

A/N: We're almost done. Sadface! This chapter is kinda short. It's a bit of a short, fluffy filler...except more...idk...anyway I'm really tired so here you go.

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><p><em>June 14, 2012<em>

There was a knock on the bathroom door and Blaine opened it, expecting Kurt or Carole, but instead finding Burt.

"Hey, kiddo," Burt said. "Mind if I…"

He motioned towards the doorway. Blaine nodded and stepped aside as Burt entered, leaving the door open. Blaine stood in front of the mirror, attempting to glue his hair to his head like he used to when he attended Dalton. He'd become unaccustomed to doing it, knowing Kurt preferred his hair loose.

But tonight, it was necessary. It was graduation night, and as Blaine had learned after trying on his red cap, if his hair wasn't flat against his head there was no way it was going to stay on.

"I just wanted to say, Blaine, that I'm really proud of you," Burt said, leaning against the wall behind Blaine.

"Thank you," Blaine said. Slightly frustrated, he put more product in his hair and attempted to capture a few stray curls. "Thank you for everything you've done for me."

Blaine lowered his hands and turned around to face Burt.

"For everything you've given me. A home. A family. Acceptance. Patience. Thank you for allowing me to love Kurt, even after everything." Blaine looked up at Burt, sincerity in his eyes as he blinked back tears that threatened to spill. Burt just stared at him for a moment, then opened his arms wide and pulled Blaine in for a tight hug.

They just stood there for a few moments, trying not to get too emotional. It was an odd moment, sort of like the end of a journey. Blaine, Kurt, and Finn would all be graduating from high school and soon the house would feel empty. In two short weeks, Burt and Carole would be driving Kurt and Blaine to New York to begin a search for a reasonable apartment close to the NYU campus where they'd be living together, as adults.

"I'm _so_ proud of you," Burt whispered into Blaine's ear. "You stayed by Kurt's side through _everything_. It's been an _honor_ having you in this family."

Blaine squeezed his eye shut, subconsciously pressing his cheek against Burt's shoulder, just feeling the warmth and acceptance. Burt gave him more love in that one hug than his own father had given him since he came out of the closet.

Eventually, both men pulled away and Blaine stepped back toward the counter. He gestured towards his hair.

"I better finish this. We've gotta leave in twenty minutes," Blaine said quietly.

"Take your time. I'm gonna go help Kurt get ready." Burt clapped Blaine on the back and nodded at him before heading out of the bathroom. Blaine just smiled after him, nervous and excited not only for their graduation, but for the life ahead of him that he would be sharing with Kurt.

. ~ . ~ .

In the McKinley High School gym, the senior class of 2012 gathered, talking amongst friends, taking pictures, seeing each other for what could possibly be the last time. The New Directions sat on the bleachers, in the corner, just looking at each other. This would be the last time for a long time that they would be together as a group.

"I'm going to California," Brittany said. Yes, much to their surprise, Brittany was graduating. "To teach at a dance school."

"I'm going too," Santana said. The two of them were holding hands, as friends to anyone outside of the glee club, but as a couple in front of their small family.

"I'm going down south. To pursue the art of Rockabilly," Puck declared.

"I'm going to Ohio State," Quinn said. "I want to teach little kids."

"University of Washington for me," Mercedes said. "I've got an uncle in Seattle who owns a club he wants me to sing at."

"Ohio State for me," Artie said.

"Same here," Lauren sighed.

"I'm just going to junior college to start," Mike said. Tina nodded and said she was going there as well.

"I'm probably just going to work for a while," Sam said.

"JC for me as well," Finn said.

"NYU. Definitely." Rachel nodded and glanced over at Kurt and Blaine. They were holding hands and staring at each other, sharing one of those silent moments where they looked like they were reading each other's thoughts. "I'll see you there, right guys?"

No answer.

"_Right_ guys?" Rachel nudged Blaine with her elbow and he started, jumping up and flailing about, knocking the red cap right off his head. Kurt snorted ungracefully and covered his mouth, giggling as Blaine collected himself and smoothed out his gown. He glared at his friends and settled back down.

"What were you saying, Rachel?" Kurt asked, his face now red as he tried not to laugh.

"I'll be seeing you in New York?" Rachel repeated, annoyed.

"Oh yeah. Of course. Blaine and I are headed there in two weeks with my parents to look at apartments. We wanted to find one now so we have time to decorate it and find some reasonable furniture," Kurt said. He reached for Blaine's hand again and squeezed it.

Just thing, Principal Figgins took the microphone and announced for them all to get into position. Graduation was to be held in the stadium, on the football field, and they all had to move to sit in the bleachers in a certain order – which they'd practiced that morning – to get ready to walk to the field. Both Artie and Kurt were first, seeing as they were in wheelchairs. Blaine was conveniently the first person with functioning legs, so he was with Kurt the entire time.

Which worked excellently for their plan.

Because oh yes, those boys had a plan.

They'd been working on the plan since before Nationals, and they were both excited for it.

"Hey, Anderson!" Someone whispered from behind Blaine as they started to line up. Blaine turned around to find one of the football players, Jared Barkley, holding something out to him, trying to look discreet. It was a flattened beach ball.

"What?" Blaine stared at it, wondering why the hell they were giving it to him. They didn't even like him.

"Take this and hide it for later. You're good at blowing, right?" A few guys around Jared burst out laughing and Blaine just glared at them. He turned around and focused his attention back on Kurt. It wouldn't be long before they'd be out of Lima and living somewhere where the people cared enough to let gay couples get married.

Finally, they began to walk out of the gym. Blaine pushed Kurt's wheelchair, smiling as Kurt talked excitedly about how happy he was to actually be graduating after all the doctors told him he wouldn't be able to. Blaine resisted the urge to kiss him.

Once they reached the field, all their parents and their family were in the stands, cheering loudly. As they practiced, all the graduated lined up and began to walk to their rows of folding chairs. Kurt and Blaine were towards the end of the front row. After fifteen minutes, they were all in their seats and Principal Figgins stepped up to the podium to give a speech about becoming adults.

Kurt and Blaine weren't listening though. They were busy getting ready to carry out their plan.

After another half hour of speeches, and a duet between Finn and Rachel, it was time for them to walk up and get their diplomas.

The first row – with the exception of Artie and Kurt – stood and faced the center aisle, where people begin the line that headed straight to the administrator that would hand them their diplomas. Ms. Pillsbury stood by the podium, reading the names of the students.

"Arthur Abrams," she said first. Artie rolled himself up and shook hands with the man dressed in long black robes, and collected his diploma.

While he did so, though, everyone was suddenly not focused on him, but on the spectacle behind him.

Kurt had risen from his wheelchair, now standing on his own two feet. He straightened out his gown and adjusted his cap and took a deep breath. Blaine was at his side, his hand gentling resting on the small of his back, knowing that while Kurt was ready, he wasn't ready to go alone.

"K-Kurt Hummel," Emma announced, startled as well by this recent development.

Kurt reached for Blaine's other hand, gripping it tightly as he left the wheelchair behind and took a step forward.

It seemed like everyone waited in silence, collectively holding their breath as he put all his weight on one foot, and then the other. Slowly he walked towards the man gripping his diploma. Grinning, he shook hands and the diploma from him.

"And Blaine Anderson," Emma added hurriedly, since Blaine was already there. Blaine shook hands with the man as well and took his own diploma.

"Congratulations, boys," the man said, smiling at them. They turned around and began to walk slowly back to their seats – someone had found a real chair for Kurt to sit in and added it to the end of the row – surprised at the sudden loud, overwhelming cheering.

Blaine smiled, glancing over to Kurt, who realized all of this cheering was for him.

At last they made it back to the chairs and were permitted to sit with the rest of their row. Kurt refused to let go of Blaine's hand, but Blaine was ok with that. They held on tight for the next hour as names were called, cheering for their friends. When the names were all called and the final names were called, their sky above them was filled with a cloud of red caps that were tossed in the air.

Then a second later, the entire glee club surrounded Kurt, pulling him away from Blaine and smothering him in a tight group hug. He finally managed to get them to let go, and when he did, he was still standing. The group parted and he looked at Blaine, then took three steps forward, on his own, and embraced his boyfriend tightly.

"You did it," Blaine whispered, burying his face in the side of Kurt's neck.

"I love you," Kurt said as he pulled back. When he did, he didn't even seem unsteady. They'd been working on building the strength in Kurt's legs back for the last three weeks, but they hadn't told anyone.

"Hey Kurt!" Burt shouted through all the people. He came over, towing Carole, who smiled briefly at Kurt and Blaine before heading over to congratulate Finn. Burt scooped Kurt up into a tight hug, catching him by surprise. After a moment, both Kurt and Blaine realized Burt was crying.

Burt finally pulled back to give Blaine a hug as well. Now, Burt Hummel was by no means an overly affectionate man. He was so overcome with emotion at seeing not only his son graduate from high school, but also to see him walk for the first time in a year at the same time.

Carole and Finn joined them, and they all embraced as a family. When they were done, Finn went with the rest of their friends to the class graduation party, but Kurt and Blaine had decided to just retire to the comfort of each other's company.

On the way back to the car, Burt pushed the empty wheelchair while Kurt and Blaine walked, hand in hand.

. ~ . ~ .

_June 15, 2012_

"What are we supposed to do?" Kurt asked, staring up at the blue sky. They were lying on picnic blankets in the grass in their backyard. Paper plates with half eaten ham sandwiches sat forgotten off to the side as they lay side by side. Kurt turned his head to look at Blaine, admiring his handsome profile.

"What do you mean?" Blaine asked softly, sensing Kurt's gaze on him. He rolled over and propped his head up, looking down at Kurt, who was an infinitely more beautiful sight than the sky.

"Well, we're just waiting. I mean…I know we're moving out in a few days but what do we do until then?" Kurt mirrored Blaine's position. Over the past five days, he'd surprised everyone by standing in the kitchen and cooking a full meal, helping around the house, and even climbing up the stairs without assistance. Now that Kurt nearly had the full range of mobility back, the two of them started to feel like they were slipping right back into that stage of their relationship they had been in before the accident.

"I say that we just enjoy this before all the responsibility sets in," Blaine said. He leaned over and kissed Kurt gently, smiling against his lips.

"Let's talk," Kurt said, putting an hand on Blaine's chest and pushing him back until he was lying down. Kurt curled up beside him, resting his head on Blaine's chest and draping one leg over Blaine's.

"What about?" Blaine asked.

"Us," replied Kurt. He snuggled closer to Blaine, breathing in the scent that was a mixture of Blaine and laundry detergent. "Will you do something for me, Blaine?"

"Anything," said Blaine. He didn't even have to think.

"Well, we haven't really…_done_ much because of the accident, but I love you and I'm ready, and we have week and a half before we leave, so I want to start doing, you know, _things_. With you. And when we find an apartment and we're on our own, I want to give myself to you, however you decide you want me." Kurt closed his eyes and pressed his face against Blaine's chest, clutching his shirt and waiting for a response.

Blaine, meanwhile, used all of his willpower not to flip Kurt over and start doing _things_ to him right there. He just tightened his arm around Kurt a bit and took a deep breath, trying to calm his overeager body. He'd been waiting for Kurt to make a move for _months_, but he knew he had to be patient.

"I think I can manage that," Blaine said calmly.

"Good," Kurt said. It was silent for a few minutes before Kurt spoke again. "Are we gonna make it?"

"What do you mean?" Blaine's arm tightened around Kurt even more, feeling every inch of his body that Kurt touched tingle delightfully.

"I mean, most couples who are in love in high school don't make it. What if we move in together and we start working and then we have classes and we never see each other and when we do all we do is argue. Then what if we can't afford to pay bills or something, or if we start out having sex all the time and then we get so annoyed that we never do, and then what if we meet other people? New York City is huge and there might be other guys are out there. I mean, I know that I love you and I can't imagine finding anyone as attractive as you, but there are a lot of people!" Kurt rambled on and pulled away, sitting up and looking down at Blaine, his face twisted with concern.

"Hey, calm down," Blaine said softly. He brought up his left hand and pointed to the promise ring on his finger. "I meant what I said when I gave you the ring."

"I know but…"

"Kurt, look at all we've survived in the last year. Do you really think that we can't overcome all of those things?" Blaine took Kurt's hands in his and squeezed them. Kurt smiled sweetly and leaned over, kissing Blaine again.

"You are the best boyfriend ever," Kurt said.

"Well I don't know about that," Blaine said as he sat up, propping himself up with one hand between the V of Kurt's legs and leaning so his face was only an inch from Kurt's. "But I know that I just really love you."

* * *

><p>Let me know what you thought<p> 


	19. Chapter 19

I do not own.

A/N: Well folks, this is it. This is the end. It feels so...surreal. Bittersweet almost. Such a long journey these boys have been through, all building up to this extremely fluffy chapter. Please enjoy and remember to leave a review letting me know what you thought! Thank you guys so much for aaaaalllllllllll the support throughout this whole story.

Also, there be smut ahead.

* * *

><p><em>August 31, 2012<em>

_4:41 PM_

"This apartment is so amazing," Kurt said, looking around as he adjusted picture frames on shelves and adjusted Blaine's guitar in its stand. The apartment was tiny, barely enough room for one person, but they made it work. They could afford it, it wasn't moldy, all the appliances worked, and it was within walking distance of the university.

Because Kurt insisted on walking.

Since they'd graduated, they'd done _a lot_ of walking. Walking around the neighborhood, through the park, around a lake. They held hands while they walked, because for over a year it was a simple action they could not engage in.

"I love it," Blaine said. He walked up behind Kurt and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, pressing his cheek to the back of Kurt's shoulder. "I love you."

"You're a cheeseball," Kurt laughed, turning around in Blaine's arms and hugging him tightly. He pulled back slightly and pressed a kiss to the tip of Blaine's nose. "But it's ok because I _really_ like cheese."

"Can you believe this?" Blaine asked, kissing Kurt softly on the lips and nuzzling his cheek softly. "We live here. Together."

"I'll never forget the look on the landlords face when he realized we were renting a one bedroom apartment for both of us," Kurt giggled softly and kissed Blaine's cheek.

"Then when Burt showed up with those boxes and the guy looked _terrified_," Blaine laughed, hugging Kurt even closer, loving the feel of him in his arms, even though he was slightly bigger.

"It feels so weird being alone," Kurt whispered, kissing a path down Blaine's jaw.

They'd been living in the apartment for two weeks now, but for the entirety of it, Burt had been staying with them. He stayed around long enough to make sure the tiny apartment would work for them, making sure their neighbors were nice people, ensuring that their cheap furniture was placed in the right spots and that they managed to unpack their things and settle in their new home.

Part of Burt staying with them was that he wasn't sure he wanted to leave Kurt, but the time came for him to go back to Lima, where his wife and stepson needed him. Burt had wished both boys good luck, gave them five hundred dollars in cash and told them to keep it in the safe in Kurt's closet and use it for emergencies only, ensured that their refrigerator was fully stocked with food, and make sure that they were ready for this.

They were.

So Burt left.

And there they were. Alone. Together. As adults.

"We should celebrate," Kurt suggested. "Let's go out. We can explore the city for a while and we can go out to dinner and maybe fit in a little shopping."

Blaine laughed out loud and kissed Kurt once more before pulling back. Kurt pouted a little, but followed Blaine as he practically collapsed onto the couch. Kurt kneeled beside him, leaning over and kissing him roughly and insistently, his tongue slipping into Blaine's mouth and both his hands cupping Blaine's jaw as he held is face, kissing him so aggressively that their teeth clashed together.

He slung one leg over Blaine's lap, sitting on his legs, keeping their hips a fair distance apart. Blaine's hands settled around his hips, rubbing lazy circles on his lower back. They kissed like that for fifteen minutes before Kurt pulled back, his arms settling around Blaine's neck as they fought to catch their breath.

"I want you so much right now," Blaine whispered, looking up at him with lust darkened eyes. Kurt's tongue darted out to moisten his lips and his fingers toyed with the loose hair at the base of Blaine's neck.

"Not now," Kurt whispered. His eyes drifted closed and he resisted the urge to press his hips forward, to feel completely connected to Blaine, their whole bodies pressed together.

"_Kurt_," Blaine whined, his hands squeezing Kurt's hips and trying to pull him closer.

"Later. After we come home," Kurt promised.

Blaine sighed and nodded, knowing Kurt was still uneasy about these things, and wanting to romance him before he carried out his plan.

"Alright," Blaine sighed. "Go get ready to go out. We'll go somewhere nice, so dress up."

Kurt grinned at the opportunity to wear his nicer clothes in public where people other than Blaine could appreciate them. He climbed off Blaine's lap, kissing him lightly one more time before dashing off to their shared bedroom. Blaine closed his eyes, wishing briefly that Kurt would have continued. But it was alright. Going out was conductive to Blaine's plan.

. ~ . ~ .

_Three days earlier_

_August 28, 2012_

_10:14 AM_

"Hey, Burt? Can I talk to you for a second?"

Kurt was in the shower, singing loudly, and Burt was in the living room. Blaine crept out of the tiny kitchen with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slumped.

"What is it, kiddo?" Burt asked, sitting up and turning off the TV Kurt's aunt had given them as an apartment-warning present. Even though Blaine and Kurt were both technically adults now, Burt had a feeling he would always call Blaine 'kiddo'.

"I wanted to ask you something," Blaine said. He cautiously walked into the living room and sat beside Burt, smiling slightly at the look of concern on Burt's face.

"Sure. Anything you want," Burt said, studying Blaine's face.

"I know this is really, really old fashioned, but I wondered if you might be ok if…if you might let me…if it would be ok if I asked Kurt to marry me," Blaine finally found the words and looked up at Burt, gauging the older man's reaction. Burt seemed to contemplate it for a moment, considering how he felt about a boy asking him for permission to marry his son.

"I think that if I wanted anyone to marry my son, you would be the man," Burt finally said.

Blaine smiled and let out a sigh of relief. Burt chuckled and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Did you actually think I'd say no?" Burt asked, squeezing Blaine's shoulder tightly.

"Not for a second," replied Blaine, smiling at his soon to be father-in-law.

"So when do you plan to do it?" Burt asked. Blaine reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. Inside was a simple band with tiny diamonds set in the gold band. It wasn't much more than the promise ring Kurt currently wore, but there were a few more glistening stones. It was subtle, yet beautiful.

"The next few days. Probably after you go home," Blaine said, examining the ring he planned to give Kurt, the man he couldn't imagine living without.

"Well good luck, Blaine. He'll say yes, I know it." Burt scooted closer and pulled Blaine into a quick embrace. "You'll make a fine husband."

Blaine couldn't help but laugh at that as he slipped the ring back into his pocket.

"Thank you," Blaine said, offering Burt one last grateful smile.

. ~ . ~ .

_August 31, 2012_

_5:18 PM_

Their hands were clasped together and their necks were craned upwards as they looked up at all the amazing buildings around them. They kept close together, their whole arms touching and knowing that they were safer glued together than they were if they were even inches apart.

"I love being here," Kurt said, glancing over at Blaine. "It's so beautiful. And to think. We _live_ here."

"I know," Blaine said. "I think next week I'm gonna start looking for a place to play. There's bound to be some place in this city that needs some entertainment."

"And I'm going to begin finding out the best places to audition for shows so I can get a leg up on Rachel," Kurt said, squeezing Blaine's hand. Blaine chuckled and turned to look at Kurt, at how beautiful, smiling at him and his eyes wide with wonder and excitement.

"Here's the restaurant I was telling you about," Blaine said softly. It was a small Italian place, reminiscent of the night Blaine had given Kurt the promise ring. It had also been the night of the accident, but that somehow did not curb Kurt's appetite for pasta as he tugged on Blaine's hand and hurried inside.

They sat in a secluded corner, eating by candlelight with their hands clasped over the table. It was nice to be in a place where they could openly show such simply displays of affection without a single disapproving look from the wait staff. They didn't worry about the world around them. It was just Kurt and Blaine.

"I never thought I would have this, you know," Kurt said midway through their meal.

"What do you mean?" Blaine asked, his eyebrows drawn together.

"You and me. Sitting here in New York, eating fancy pasta. An apartment with you. The ability to walk again. Hopes and dreams. Everything," Kurt said. He squeezed Blaine's hand and looked at him almost longingly.

"I've always wanted nothing more than for you to have every single one of those things, Kurt. You deserve them all," Blaine said sincerely.

"You asshole," Kurt muttered. He sniffed and brought his free hand up to wipe his eye. "You're gonna make me cry."

Blaine chuckled and somehow he _knew_ this was going to work. Nothing could be better than what he had with Kurt. Nothing at all.

. ~ . ~ .

_Later that evening_

_8:36 PM_

They reached their apartment and stepped inside. Both of them nervous. Blaine was about to propose marriage, and Kurt was about to propose that they have sex for the first time. They busied themselves around the apartment for a few minutes, Blaine tidying the living room and surveying the best spot to get down on one knee, Kurt turning on the fans in the bedroom and making sure there was a bottle of lube and a condom within reach.

When Kurt finished, he wandered out into the living room to find Blaine standing there awkwardly. Kurt moved in to initiate first contact, but Blaine stepped back.

Concerned, Kurt asked, "What's wrong?"

"Kurt I…I have something to ask you," Blaine said. He looked into Kurt's eyes, confident that this was the most perfect moment ever. He reached into his pocket and slowly got down on one knee, holding the black box up.

"Oh my God," Kurt gasped. Then, before Blaine could even say anything, Kurt grabbed his arms. "No. Get up. Right now. Get up and stand up. _Right now_."

Blaine's heart sank. Kurt saw what was coming and he didn't want it. He didn't really want to marry Blaine because he didn't think they would make it. He wanted to wait and see for sure if they would really last. Blaine tried to fight of the sadness that washed through him, and his efforts were failing until Kurt covered Blaine's hand with his, taking the black box in his hand.

Slowly and stiffly – his muscles were still getting used to being worked all the time – Kurt lowered himself down onto one knee and looked up at Blaine.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to do everything," Kurt whispered softly. He laid his palm over Blaine's assessing that their fingers were roughly the same size, so this should work. "I wanted to do this. To pick out a ring and get ready for this, but you beat me to it."

"Sorry," Blaine whispered, almost too in awe of what Kurt was about to do.

"Don't be." Kurt brought Blaine's hand closer, gently kissing his fingertips. He opened the box and saw the ring, gasping slightly at how beautiful it was. He plucked the ring out of its velvet nest and held it up to Blaine. "Blaine Anderson, will you marry me?"

"Yes," Blaine said. "Of course I'll marry you."

Kurt grinned and pulled the promise ring off Blaine's finger, then slid the engagement ring into its spot. It was a little big for Blaine, but they would worry about that later. Standing, Kurt ran his hands up Blaine's arms and pulled him closer. Sliding his arms around Blaine's neck, he pressed his lips to Blaine's, finding them parted instantly and allowing him to continue his exploration from earlier.

Blaine's hands rested on Kurt's hips, squeezing gently as Kurt swept his tongue across Blaine's mouth, tasting all of him at once, their lips pressed so hard together they would be swollen and bruised for days.

Kurt moved his hands down Blaine's chest until he reached the hem of his red polo. He pushed the shirt up, his palms trailing over the warmth of Blaine's abs, and broke away from the kiss long enough to pull the shirt over Blaine's head. He ran his hands all over Blaine's skin, his fingers moving through the hairs on Blaine's chest, his fingertips teasing Blaine's sensitive nipples, and his lips moving down Blaine's jaw, suckling gently on the slightly salty skin where his neck and shoulder connected.

"I love you so much," Blaine whispered hoarsely. His grip on Kurt's hips tightened and he pulled their bodies together. Kurt slipped a leg between Blaine's, pressing upwards as he felt Blaine's hard arousal pressing against him. Blaine's hips pitched forward, searching for the delicious friction.

"You're wearing too many clothes," Blaine gasped, struggling to pull Kurt's shirt over his head while simultaneously never stilling his hips.

"We need to get to the bedroom," Kurt panted, his breath hot against Blaine's skin. Blaine nodded and pulled away, knowing he wouldn't be able to get his feet to move properly if Kurt was touching him in anyway. Kurt started for the bedroom, pulling off his shirt and unbuttoning his tight black jeans and shimmying them down his hips. Blaine stripped of his pants as well and they tumbled onto the bed, pulling each other close. Kurt rolled Blaine onto his back and settled their bodies together.

Kurt's lips resumed their earlier exploration of Blaine's neck and chest, making Blaine writhe beneath him. They'd been exploring each other the last couple of months, but Blaine never tired of Kurt's curiosity. Not knowing what to do with his hands, he rested them on Kurt's shoulders, rubbing lightly as Kurt licked a trail from his chest down to the waistband of his tented boxers. Blaine's eyes rolled back as Kurt's neck rubbed along the length of his erection.

He groaned as Kurt blew on the trail he'd just licked, his skin tingling in the most delightful way. His hips arched up, rubbing his boxer covered cock against Kurt's pale chest. Blaine looked down at Kurt, who grinned up at him mischievously. Kurt ran his fingertips up Blaine's thighs to his hips, hooking under the waistband of his boxers. Tugging them down swiftly, Kurt settled himself between Blaine's legs.

Blaine gasped when Kurt's hand circled around his cock, still not used to the feel of Kurt's soft hand wrapped around it, applying experimental amounts of pressure as he pumped it slow, faster, then slower yet, driving Blaine absolutely crazy as his thumb swiped over the head.

"Kurt…_Kurt_…please, I-I want you in me," Blaine panted, his hand squeezing Kurt's arm, trying to pull him up. Kurt obliged, taking his hand from Blaine's erection and kissing him fiercely, swallowing the moan Blaine let out at the loss of contact.

Blaine suddenly flipped them over so he was kneeling between Kurt's legs. He curled his fingers around the waistband of Kurt's boxer briefs and tugged them over his hips. Kurt lifted his hips up and drew his legs up, making it easier for Blaine to remove them completely.

"Fuck, you're beautiful," Blaine said, kissing Kurt's knee before moving away, looking at their bedside table in search of the half empty bottle of lube. They'd experimented quite a bit just since they moved in, even with Burt in the living room down the hall.

Straddling Kurt's hips, Blaine reached down and wrapped his fingers around Kurt's cock, pumping it a few times with a tight grip, before rising up on his knees. He popped the cap on the bottle of lube and squirted some on his fingers.

"H-How are we…" Kurt panted and looked up at him with lust glazed eyes.

"Just l-let me," Blaine panted. During the months when Kurt was in the hospital and just recovering from the accident, Blaine had done a lot of…educating. He made sure his fingers were coated completely, then reached back and bit his bottom lip as he slid one finger slowly inside himself.

"_Fuck_," Blaine hissed, letting himself adjust to the intrusion. Kurt's hand was on his thigh, rubbing softly, patiently, encouraging him to keep going.

Kurt couldn't help but watched the beauty that was Blaine. His chest and arms glistened with a sheen of sweat and his eyebrows were knotted together as he inserted another finger, gritting his teeth against the initial discomfort, knowing it would be so worth it once Kurt was inside him.

"You're so hot like this," Kurt said, running his hand over Blaine's defined abs, careful to avoid any contact with Blaine's cock that might end it too soon.

Blaine opened his eyes and put one hand on Kurt's chest, bracing himself as he used his fingers to spread himself open, spreading them apart and crooking them until he found that spot inside.

"_Ohmygod_," Blaine whimpered.

That was it. He couldn't take waiting anymore. He _needed_ Kurt inside of him. He leaned down and kissed Kurt, rough and sloppy and full of desire. Blaine reached for the condom and tore open the package, fumbling as he attempted to figure out the best way to roll it onto Kurt's waiting erection. Kurt gasped at the contact, waiting as Blaine coated his cock with more lube.

"Can you just…" Blaine held the base of Kurt's cock so that it pointed straight up. Kurt nodded and held it like Blaine had as Blaine used both hands to brace himself as he moved forward. He positioned Kurt's cock at his entrance, taking a deep breath as he slowly began to sink down.

It was painful at first, being stretched like that, but Blaine needed to be this close. After all they'd been through together, all of the wondering if they would ever get to be together like this, Blaine felt they deserved to be connected like this.

Blaine forced his eyes open, looking down at Kurt, whose eyes were nearly rolling back at the sensation of Blaine wrapped tightly around him, clenching so tight it was almost too tight for him. Blaine took a deep breath and relaxed, and Kurt slid in all the way. For a moment, Blaine stilled, breathing heavily and looking down at Kurt.

"If you don't move, I'm going to die," Kurt said breathlessly. Blaine smiled and braced himself against the headboard, moving up until Kurt was almost out of him, then moving down. Kurt gasped beneath him and he groaned. He began to move faster, quickly ignoring the pain that turned into pleasure as he angled his hips so Kurt hit that spot deep inside him every time.

It didn't take long for either of them. Blaine moved faster, panting heavily against the side of Kurt's neck as Kurt reached up and wrapped a fist around Blaine's neglected cock. He pumped his fist a few times until Blaine was spilling all over his chest and Kurt's stomach. He cried out Kurt's name and his expression was twisted as pleasure washed through him, his muscles clenching around Kurt as he continued to move through his orgasm.

It was too much for Kurt, the feel of Blaine's come on sticky on his stomach, the beautiful look on Blaine's face as he rode the last waves of pleasure, the smell of sweat and sex between them as the two lovers moved. Kurt whined as he moved his hips up to meet Blaine's in choppy, erratic thrusts and soon he was coming with a strangled cry of, _"Blaine!_"

The next thing Kurt realized, he was cleaned off and Blaine was curled up beside him, his sweat dampened curly hair against Kurt's chest as he held out his hand and examined the engagement ring.

"That was amazing," Kurt whispered, his hand resting on Blaine's back, which quivered under the touch.

"And beautiful," Blaine said. He used what little energy he had left to move up and press a gentle kiss to Kurt's lips before nuzzle his nose against Kurt's neck.

"We're going to get married." Kurt hugged Blaine close, feeling the naked length of their bodies pressed together under the cool sheets.

"I couldn't think of anyone I'd ever want to marry more than I want to marry you," Blaine said.

Kurt smiled and looked down at Blaine, whose long eyelashes had fluttered closed as he drifted off into a blissful sleep. Kurt continued to stroke Blaine's hair softly, knowing there wasn't a single thing life couldn't throw at them that they couldn't handle.

As long as they handled it together.

* * *

><p>Let me know what you thought :)<p> 


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